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Papers  relative 
Conf  Pam  #485 


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PAPERS                        ' 

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RELATIVE  TO  TBE  MISSION 

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HON.  T. 

BUTLER  KLVG,    j 

TO 

E3XJI1.0I*:E3.. 

! 

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1 

CONFEDERATE  UNION  TOWER  PRESS.                             fj 

MILLKDOKVILLK,    Gl. 

1 

1863. 

REPORT  OF  THE  LEGISLATIVE  COMMITTEE. 


The  Special  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  com- 
munication of  His  Exctllency  the  Governor,  on  the  subject 
of  the  mission  of  the  Hon.  Thomas  Butler  King  to  Europe 
to  secure  the  establishment  of  a  line  or  lines  of  steamers 
from  European  ports  to  the  ports  of  Georgia,  under  the  act 
of  the  General  Assembly  passed  December,  ISGO,  with  ac- 
companying documents,  beg  leave  to  report,  that  they  have 
given  the  same  a  careful  consideration,  and  that  they  have 
becti  exceedingly  gratified  nt  the  manner  in  which  Mr. 
King  has  discharged  the  duties  of  his  mission. 

He  was  charged  with  power  to  oiler  a  subsidy  to  parties 
in  Europe  who  would  establish  and  run  a  line  of  steamers 
between  European  ports  and  the  city  yf  Savannah,  or  other 
ports  in  this  State,  which  he  succeeded  in  accomplishing 
according  to  instructions,  under  many  ditiiculties.      The 
merchants  and  people  of  England,  France    a;ul  Belgiun> 
were  found  to  be  quite  ignorant  of  the  commercial  resour- 
ces and  power  of  the  Southern  States,  having  heretofore 
almost  entirely  received  the  productions  of  the  South  and 
shipped  her  supplies  through  Northern  ports.     It  became, 
therefore,  necessary  for   Mr.  King  to  collect  and  publish 
such  facts  au<l  statistics  as  would  enlighten  the  couimercial 
mind  on  the  subject ;  and  for  this  piirpose  he  wrote  and 
published,    and    distributed   over   most  of   the  European 
countries  over  five  thousand  copies  of  his   letter  addressed 
to  Lord  John  Russell,  published  in  English,  and  memoirs  to 
the  French  Minister  of  Commerce  and  the  French  Minister 
of  Foreign  Aliairs,  in  French,  on  the  character  of  the  block- 
ade, beside  an  elaborate  and  well  digested  argument  on  the 
American  blockade,  also  published  in  French,  beside  many' 
other  articles  written  for  the  French  papers  on  the  state  of 
our  political  ailairs.     In  addition  to  this,  he  also  concluded 
a  contract  with  Messrs.  Sabel  &  Co.,  of  Liverpool,  for  the 
establishment  of  a  line  of  steamers  from  Liverpool  to  Sa- 
vannah, with  the  subsidy  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
per  annum,  as  provided  by  the  act  under  which  he  jvas 
commissioned,  w^hich  is  herewith  submitted. 

The  result  of  Mr.  King's  labors  in  this  behalf  is  seen  and 
felt  in  having  secured  the  change  of  a  law  unanimously  by 
the  Senate,  Corps  Legislatif  and  Imperial  Council  of  France, 
granting  a  large  subsidy  to  a  company  in  Paris  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  two  lines  of  first  class  steamers,  one  from 
.Havre  to  New  York,  and  the  other  to  the  West  Indies, 
whereby  those  were  changed,  the  one  from  New  York  to 
the  city  of  Savannah,  and  the  other  from  the  West  Indies 
to  the  city  ot  New  Orleans.  This  was  a  triumph  of  the 
intelligence  and  labor  of  our  representative. 


;  -To  enable  Mr.  Kihg  to  accomplish  this  task,:  it  became 
necessary  to  incur  rimch  expense  in  employing  a  secretary 
and  translator,  and  in  securing  such  quarters  and  living  as 
became  the  representative  of  the  State  of  Georgia. 

.  It  will  be  remembered  that  Mr.  King  left  the  State  of 
Georgia  about  the  first  of  March,  IbGl,  before  hostilities 
commenced,  and  was  in  Europe  when  the  blockade  was  es- 
tablished. It  was  not  conteniphued  by  the  Governor  or  the 
Legislature  that  it  would  require  more  than  two  or  three 
months  to  accomplisli  the  purposes  of  his  nfission  :  but  soon 
after  his  arrival  the  blockade  was  established,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  him  to  leave  Europe  until  November,  and  he 
was  detained  two  months  in  Havana,  and  did  not  reach  his 
liome  until  eleven  montiis  and  seventeen  days  from  the  time 
of  his  departure,  after  enduring  the  perils  of  shipwreck. 
In  consequence  of  this  delay,  the  ex[)ense8  were  largely 
augmented,  and  in  addition  to  the  S-J, 000  appropriated  for 
the  expense  of  the missiori,  ]\Ir.  King  was  driven  to  draw 
upon  the  Governor  for  S2,500.  which  tlie  Governor  met  up- 
on presentation.        . 

Your  Committee  have  gre?jt  |^i-t\i>;;i-e  and  pride  ia  saying 
that  Mr.  King  has  not  onl^-  abiy  and  faitlifully  accomplished 
the  purposes  of  his  mission,  but  has  done  snore,  inucli  more, 
in  securing  the  two  French  lines  referred  to,  to  Savannah 
and  New  Orleans,  to  be  put  in  operation,  as  soon  as  the 
blockade  is  raised.  And  n;ore,  the  Connnittee  is  of  opinion 
that  the  able  documents  reiiirred  to  have  done  more  to  place 
the  real  political  condition  and  comn.ercial  resources  of  this 
country  before  the  European  peopie  than  any  acts  or  pa- 
pers which  have  fallen  under  their  observation!  during  our 
troubles  ;  and  that  the  people  of  this  whole  country  are 
much  indebted  to  liim  for  their  [>roduction. 

It  is  shown  by  tlie  bill  rendered  by  Mr.  King,  that  his 
actual  expense  of  living,  traveling,  and  preparing  and  pub- 
lishing the  paper?  referred  to,  has  been  *5,900,  being  four 
hundred  dollars  more  than  has  been  paid  to  liim  ;  and  the 
Committee  recommend  that  Mr,  King  be  relieved  from  all 
liability  which  he  may  have  incurred  by  drawing  the  draft 
referred  to,  that  he  be  paid  the  balance  v.hieh  l.e  has  ex- 
pended, and  that  he  be  allowed  the  sum  of  twenty-five  hun- 
dred dollars  in  compensation  for  his  very  valuable  services 
to  the  State  and  the  country  while  in  Europe,  and  that  his- 
able  report  to  the  Governor,  and  his  memoirs  on  steam  nav- 
igation and  the  American  blockade,  with  this  report,  be 
printed  ;  and  we  forbear  asking  the  publication  of  his  let- 
ter to  Lord  John  Russell  only  because  it  has  already  been, 
published  in  most  of  the  newspapers  of  the  country,  and 
the  people  have  had  an  opportunity  to  see  it.  . 

In  consideration  of  the  change  of  the  circumstances  of 
ihe  country  since  the  contract  was  made,  and  the  establish- 


5 

ment  of  the  French  lines,  which  will  subserve  all  the  pur- 
poses of  the  Legishiture,  we  agree  with  the  Governor  that 
it  would  not  be  wise  and  prudent  at  present,  to  ratify  the. 
contract  negotiated  with  Messrs.  Sabel  &  Co.,  of  Liverpool, 
as  provided  in  said  contract. 

All  of  which  is  resDectfulIy  submitted. 

A.  E.  CUCIiKAN, 
Chairman  especial  Committee. 


(;nVEHXoK-?5  ^MESSAGE. 

Executive  Df.paktmrnt 
-MillcUgeville,  Xoveuiber  ITili,  ..•..>.  , 
■To  tfic  flou.ie  of  lirpresrtt/fi/ir/'x :  .■        .      . 

•  In^re.sjxmse  to  your  r<;s<)lutii>iis  nf  onfiuiry  relative  to  tlie'mission  of  lion.  T.  Uut- 
Icr  Kiii;^  to  Eiiioue,  I  Ii.-ive  till- IWinor  ti»  irai'stiiit  lierewitli  liis  oripiial  report,  T^-ith 
tlie  aoeoaipanyiiifj  cloeiiinuiits,  wiiicii  wiH  attord  all  tlio  intorniJition  iii  my  posgeesion. 

1  do  not  recij  ill  mend  tin-  riitiiiciiuoii  oi  tiie  coiitrnct  made  with  Mr.  1-rederick  Sa- 
bel,  of  LivKrpoo!^  Ijy  Mr.  Kin-:,  for  llim-.stablishfni'iit  of  a  Hut'  of  ?Ieanit-r!>.  It  wifi 
1)6  seen,  by  r(.'i.rfren':e  t<>  Mr.  Kiiiu*.-<  reiKirt.  that  li«-  doubts  tiit;  propriety  of  its  ratifi- 
cation, and  li.>pH-<  that  ft  line  ot  Frei-i-.i  xltfauieri?  will  be  c^tabUshetl  Without  the  pay- 
ment of  the  auh-^idy, 

Darin;,'  the  protriu-ted  .stay  of  Mr.  King  i;i  Euroj>e,  it  becnme  noce«i»ary  for- him 
to  draw  upon  ine  for  twenty-live  liiiiMred  dollar.-)  iu  addition  to  the  three  thousand 
appnii)riiit(."d  to  <lefray  the  expenses  i.if  the  mission.  This  grew  out  of  the  neocssity 
wliich  oompelied  iiiiii  to  reh:aiii  irir.cli  hmu'er  than  was  cdiiteinpluted,  and  tiie  ex- 
pense incurred  in  tlie  pubiicatioii  of  jiart  of  the  aceompanyin';  documents  in  Europe, 
wliich  it  is  believeii  were  (jrodnetive  >>(  inueli  yoo'l  to  our  ciuse.  I  honored  Mr. 
King'sdraft  and  paid  ilie  amount  with  e.\eli«ni;e  out  of  the  continjfent  fund.  1 
deeui  it  but  just  to  liiu)  that  he  be  relieved  of  all  responsibility  to  the  State  on  ac- 
count of  tiie  diaft,  and  tliatreasonable  compensa  fion  be  allowed  him  on  account  of 
lii8  services,  if  it  shall  be  seen  by  a  bill  of  his  exi)enses  itiidereil  to  the  House,  that 
he  has  not  b';enablf:  to  ret:ii!i  a  .>uf!ieient  suiii  over  hi*  cxpen.«es  out  of  the  money 
r"feived  by  liiin  to  atl'.iid  hiui  such  ci>mpensBt.'i. 

.loSEl'H  E.  HliOWN. 


i:epokt  ok  .^ir.  Kixa  to  the  goverxok. 

-To  Ht-1  E.i-ce/Uiicy  Jotepli  K.  Broirn,  Gumrnor  <f  Georfrio  -. 

Siu: — Undertbe  connnis.sion  and  instiuctiong  received  fnini  yonr  Excellency,! 
proceeiled  to  IJtl-^iutn  for  the  purpose  of  otieiiug  to  tiie  "  Beljjiaii-Ainerican  Com- 
pany'' the  suiisiily  proposed  under  the  hiwof  the  IStli  December.  ISijO,  fur  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  line  of  steamships  from  some  European  port  to  Savannah  or  some 
other  port  in  <Jeor^ia.  That  company  was  orjjauiied  for  Ihepurposeof  enjraging  in 
lUrect  trade  or  coiMinercial  interciMirse  with  the  people  of''thi-<  and  other  Southern 
•States  and  fully  appreciat<'s  tht;  gix-at  advantages  conferred  on  them  by  the  charter 
^'ranted  by  (Jeorria.  l!ut  the  Helgians  area  ninnufactmii)}:.  not  a  coininercial  peo- 
ple, and  wliile  fiie  tjonii.any  are  most  ai;xi>iiii  to  ^end  to  us  their  meiehandise  and 
to  receiveoi"ii-  roiton  anil  other  pioilu  -ts.tiiey  have  but  little  iiraclioal  kuowledpe  of, 
or  experiiince  in  ocean  navigation,  and  esi»ecially  the  mun;i};enieLt  of  steamships. 
They  therefore  declinetl  to  enter  into  a  contract  as  proposed  in  the  Ir.w  oflering  thte 
subsidy. 

1  wa.s  recerred  and  treated  with  much  courtesy  and  distinction,  and  mnch  gratified 
to  find  a  liiost  friendly  sentiment  towanls  our  country,  which  I  believe  to  be  general 
in  15eljriuin,  and  an  ardent  desire  for  the  speeily  (establishment  of  the  independence 
■  of  the  Soatiiern  Confeilenicy.  •  . 

After  remaining  i'l  JSelgium  some  two  weeks,  I  proceei'.ed  to  Paris  for  the  pnrp<<etf 
of  opening  negotiations  with  a  French  Company  which  had  takt;n  a  contract  nnder 
the  Goverimmnt,  tV.r  a  very  large  snVisidy,  (o  establish  two  lines  of  firet  class  ocean 
steamers— one  from  Havre  lo  New  York,  and  one  from  Bordeaux  to  the  West  Indies. 
My  object  was  to  induce  the  ci'inpany  to  bring  the  Noithern  line  to  Savannah,  and  to 
/•.r'i-7i<i  the  Soatiiern  line  to  New  Orle.-iiis.  I  also  commenced  corretjiondei.ee  with 
English  houses  c'onnected  with  steam  navigation.  I  found  among  all  pr.ities  the 
most  discouraging  ignorance  of  liie  great  advantages  presented  by  the  Sonthern 
States  for  direct  commercial  intercourse  with  them,  and  a  prevailing  behef  that  >"ew 
York  was  the  only  port  Which  olfered  suitable  encouragement  to  steam  communica- 
•tioii  with  the  North  American  continent.  I  therefore  found  itnece^s«r,•  to  net  under 
your  instri'.ctions  to  explain  the  commercial  relations  hitherto  pxi^tir)g  between  the 
Southern  and  Xorthern  States  of  the  late  Union,  and  that  I  must  ."cektoi  change  the 
opinioiis  of  individuals  by  communications  addrtssed  to  their  (iovemments.  This  I 
found  to  be  no  ea.«y  task.  The  <lata  which  I  required  was  not  readily  obtained.  On 
cxjimining  severallibrar.cs  in  Loudon,  I  found  the  United  Statts  cen&u8  of  1850, 


.seTcral "State  retmns  of  a'later  dnte,  and  tlie  Briti*Ii  trade repoits.    From  tliese  I 
framed  my  letter  to  tin;  Frfiicli .  Minister  of  C(>inineree,  wJiicli  you  will  find  iu  tbft 
appendix  marked  A.    This"  letter  I  hud  printed  in  painplilet  form,  /is  you  will  see.    1 
caused  two  coi>ieSi  one   in  French  and  iine  in  Eirnlish,  to  be  placed  in  the  hands  of    ■■ 
the  Emperor,  and  I  distrilmted  three  tl'trnxaud  copies  of  the  i;amphlet.     I  sent  cop- 
ies to  the  nicinbersof  the  Imperial  Council,  the  Senate  and  C'orpb  Legislalif,  to  the'-" 
iiewj<paper  press,  tin;  Oliariiljers  of  Commerce,  Insurance  oUiccs,  and  to  the  princi-   ' 
pal  maimfacturers  throii^rliont  France.    I  also  sent  copies  to  the  German   Conimer- 

•  cial  Union,  and  to  the  Wiuisters  of  S^ate  of  the   principal  Governments  of  I'/nupe,  , 
and  to  the  Foreiijn  Kmlia.'^sies  in  Paris.    A  very  remarkable  chanse  wa.s  soon  seeu 
in  the  tone  of  most  of.tlie  nc-wspiiper?-  of  Paiis,  and  several  of  tliem  took  strong-    • 
ijrounds  in  fiivor  of  the  Southern  cause,  nnd  it  became  known  that  the  Emperor  had  ■ 
clia'n^ed  his  views  nnd  become  favorable  to  the  movement  of  the  Confederate  States,'  ' 

.to  whicii  he  had  theretofore  been  opposed.    In  fact,  a  genernl  ceunae  of  public  sen- 
timent  in  our  favor  w;is  produced   and  manifested.    Ii(  niy  communication  to  the   • 
Minister  of  Coniiuerce  on  steam  communieutioii  between  the  ports  of  Fraiiceaudtliosc- 
of  the  Confederate  States,  which  your  Excellency  will  find  in  the  appendix  marked  . 
B,  I  recpiested  that  the  hiw  ffrantiiiw  n  subsi<iy  for  a  line  of  steamers  from  HavretQ; 

•  New  York,  and  a  line  I'nim  Bordeaux  to  the  We.et Indies, miyl.t  be  so  cliaiigcd  ns't<i. 
authorize  the  Northern  line  to  be  sent  to  Savaniinh,  and  to  extend  the  Southern  litie 
to  New'Orleana.  This  communication  wa.s  also  printed  in  the  painphli  t  and  pliicfed 
in  the  hands. of  ever>  member  of  the  Senate  and  Corps  Lepislutif,  and  I  hao  the  ijal-' 
isfactionof  seeiuf;  thelaw  chani^ed,  as  I  desired,  by  a  mianiinoiis  vote  of  botu  lK»ii- 
ses.  This  was  iKit  accomiilished,  however,  without  nuu'h  delay,  labor  and  ])erso)irtl 
intercourse  witli  the  members.  Tberc  seemed  to  be  no  end  to  the  verbnl  explanations 
that  were  refpiired.  Thus  has  been  secau'ed  a  line  of  steamers  of  the  fast  class  from 
the  principal  jjort  of  France  to  Georpfiit,  within  a  reasonable  time  after  the  close  O.f 
the  war  or  the  removal  of  the  blockade,  ^^-;tl)oul  tlie  payment  of  a  subsidy  by  the 
Stat*,  or  subscription  to  stock  by  her  citizens. 

•,  While  these  measures  were  iu  jironress  in  Paris,  I  published  my  letter  to  Lo.i'd' 
John  Kussellin  London,  which  you  will  tiud  iu  the  appendix  niaiked  C,  and  distrib- 
uted two  thousand  cipies.  I  .-ilso  employed  myself  in  preparinpr  arlicles  for  tlie 
newspapers,  in  reply  to  tie  infamous  falsehoods  and  slanders  published  by  the  North- 
ern press,  or  the  infumous  scri'ol)!ejs  employed  by  the  Lincoln  Govonment  in  En- 
rope.  I  also  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  en  the  subject  of 
the  blockade.     See  a)ipeuuix  marked  1). 

I  opened  and  kept  i:|>  a  corresfjondence  with  v,nrious  parties  in  EnKl'iofi.  ofi'erij.g 
the  subsidy  as  pi(ipo.>ed  under  the  law  and  tlie  instiuctions  of  your  Excellency,  for 
the  establishment  of  a  line  of  steamers  from  Liverpool,  or  some  other  port,  to  Geor- 
g'ia.    But  it  was  not  until  a  short  time  before  I  lett  London,  that  I  was  successfurin 

•  accoraplishina;  that  objfct.  On  the  fir.st  day  of.  November.  1  closed  and  signed  Ji 
coutrnct  with  i\Ir.  Frederick  Sabel,  yf  Liverpool,  which  please  find  in  appendix 
marked  E.  This  contract  is,  of  course,  subject  to  the  apjiroval  of  )(iar  Excellency, 
and  aliso  of  the  Le^'islature.  New  Orleans  and  Charleston  are  so  much  better  known 
in  Europe  as  important  commercin!  [.lorts,  than  Savannah,  I  found  it,  for  a  lonp  time, 
quite  impossible  to  i.ibtain  any  consideration  of  the  projiosals  I  was  authoiized  to- 
make,  while  various  attempts  were  made  to  organize  companies  for  the  purpose. of 
cstablisluuf,'  lines  of  steamers  to  the  former  port.*.  In  fact,  had  I  not  been  aided  by 
the  calculations  and  arguments  contained  in  my  report  to  the  Lep^islature  on  the  mes- 
sage of  your  Excellency  in  18G0,  and  the  statements  in  my  letter  to  Earl  Kussell, 
showing  the  vast  advantages  wiiich  will  result  from  direct  couunercinl  intercourse 
between  Europe  ar.d  tjie  Cotton  States,  1  should  have  found  it  impossible  to  induce" 
parties  to  think  of  bringing  a  line  of  steamers  to  Savannah.  The  v.'liole  subject  is 
now  so  well  understood,  however,  I  am  of  opinion  that  it  will  not  be  a  long  linie  af- 
,ter  the  removal  of  the  blockade  before  steam  communication  will  be  opened  with. 
most,  if  not  all  our  primniial  ports,  audit  istiiercfoie  foi-  the  wisdom  of  your  Excel- 
lency and  the  Legislature  to  decide  whether  vr  not  it  is  (.lesirable  to  secure  to  Geor- 
gia the  lead  in  a  matterof  so  nuuh  impoitnnee,  liy  cor.ffrmiug the  confi'act  herewith 
submitted,  with  or  without  modifications.  A\'e  may  look  with  confidence  to  the  es.- 
tablishment  of  the  French  line  as  soon  as  the  ships  can  be  built,  which,  as  tliey  are. 
to  be  of  the  largest  c'ass,  will  probably  require  from  one  to  two  years.  As  you  will 
see,  the  British  line  is  to  commence  running  within  six  months  after  the  reuiovarcf 
the  blockade,  if  the  contract  shfiU  be  confirmed. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be.  with  great  respect, 

Your  Excelleucv's  most  obedient  servant, 

T.  BUTLER  KING. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  REPORT. 

To  His  E.TceUciicy  Joseph  E.  'Brown,  Governor  of  Georgia: — SiR: — It  is  proper 
to  present  to  your  Excellency,  in  connection  with  the  .rep  "rt  of  my  'oflicial  proceed- 
ing8  in  Europe,  a  brief  statement  of  the  causes  which  prolonged  my  stay  abroad 
beyond  the  period  which  I  supposed  would  be  necessary  forthe  accomplishment  of 
theobjecs  of  the  mission  with  which  I  was  honored  by  your  Excellency.  If  the 
Belgian-American  Company  had  been  prepared  to  take  the  contract  proposed  hj 
the  law  of  Georgia,  the  business  would  have  been  soon  completed,  and  the  sum  ap- 
•propriated  for  the  commission  would  have  been  amply  .'sufficient  to  defray  all  expen-  ^ 
"8ee,    Butas  tLateompanj  declined  to  take  the  contract,it  becume  necessary  foscek 


otiier  parties.    Tlie  war  which  commenced  with  tlie  Ix^nibardnrient  of  Fort  •" 
and  it'*  subsequent  proj:reH»,  produced  fuv\\  nliirm  Hiuong  nicrchantH  and  c&p- 
lliat  mu'ih  delay  mid  labor  >vi-ie  ueces.-a: y.     In   lact,  it  fceined  almost  a   <.■>■ 
task,  but  Jlie  iei<nlt  18  before  yum-    Excellency.     Jly  prol<>iiged  Ptny,  tlie  p- 
peur-e  ueccNrtarily  attendincr  my  posilinu,  and  the  publioaliims  wliichl  found  i; 
cary  to  make,  c(>inpelle<l  iiie  lo   diinv  «>n  ynur  fcxceUeney  for  the  .si'.m  etatej^sa^ 
diait  in  fa^•or  of  Messrs.  Maikward  &  Co..  of  Pari.-.    Peniiit  me  further  t»  reasaj-.iT 
that  althoutrli  I  returned  at"  shod  a^  the  jierforinai.ee  of  my  duties  and  circui»*t»«i«yi 
'  M-iiuld  permit,  I  was  ab.<cut  eleven  !nontli^.  aiid  cinnpelled  to  incur  K^eat  espsa.-*  ia 
my  n-luni  by  way  of  the  West  ludie.s      It  is,  perhaps,  not  imjiroper  for  me  t»  a'i5.>6'- 
to  the  fa(t,  tliat  t!ie  Conimi.-^sinners  of  tliK  Confederate   States  Govennnent  ■»»- ,   \ 
lowed  $l,(M)i)  per  month  .  and  tiiat  Ihey  did  not    incur  the  expense   of  pamp)i%      • : 
new.spaper  publication  which  k-U  po  heavily  upon  myself.    Tiiey  wereal-n  pre  j^i^^  _ 
with  a  Secretarj'  and  Iraiii-litor,  while  I  «"ai<  compeltea  to  pay  for  those  i>er>'i'««»  •■£^. 
of  my  o^»•upu^»e. 

luconcjiiwiou,  I  mu.«t  express  to  your  E.vce'.lercy  my  very  great  reoret.  tiai' ib- 
ruuuinf^  the  blockade  at  the  mouth  of  the  .Mi^'.-is.■•ippi.  I  lost,  with  my  baggage,  ilLa.-* 
CjrresjMindeuce,  jiiid  all  the  vouchers  for  my  e.\pensef>. 

I  have  the  honor  to  l»e,  wiihfjreat  respect, 
/  Vuur  Excellencv'.i  mo.-t  obijdieuf  servant, 

T    HITLER  KIS4, 


A  LKTTKU 

■ToiliC  Ri^hl  Iliin.  L'lid  John  Rimsrll,  by  lilt  Hon.  T.  Duller  Kin'f^.  Covtim^twrr 
''.'■'■■  f.-om  the  i^tiitx  of  Georgia. 

il/y  Lord— The  uiidersijroed,  ComHii.'«siMner  from  flie  State  of  Georgia.  bes»  It^w* 
to  j)resent  to  your  L<irdslii|)  tiie  cummis.>iun  which  he  bearn  from  the  (.ioveruor  «>l^\]^'it. 
State,  and  to  acc()mpauy  it  with  the  following  memoir  in  esplaualiun  of  t\ie  »l«jei3t 
of  hi.s  mis.'iion. 

It  wa>  foiCM-en  by  the  C!<veii;mcnt  of  (JeoiKia  that  the  gre;it  poIil:»al  in«T«.-»«»r 
which  was  being  inaugurated  by  the  .Southern  Statei*,  hiuct  necessarily  produt*  ita.-^* 
important  changes  in   their  couwueicial  interci'urse.  and  that,  without  snitaM«  &'>.( 
tiaiely  explanations,  it  wa."  tul  rea.xouable  to  suppose  the  great  man»fattTiriji5:  «».i- 
commercial  ]>ower.s  of  Europe  would  coinpreheim  llie   very  great   advautagv*  r^Tt 
.sented  for  their  consideration  by  thc-eceding  States.    It  wa.*"  therefor*  deem*  a    . 
per  to  appoint  a  sprcinl  comnii.-sioner  for  that  purpose.     Hut  belore   procet-i.' .;.  ; 
consider  commercial  (|Uestioti.«,  the  undersigned  desires,  very  brietly,  to  c»>rr»    ■ 
ntistakes  which  appear sf>  generally  to  jiervade   the  Euroj)i-i'n  mind  respet*  •■  : 
framework    of  the  (iovermrienl   of  the   I'uiteil   State-*,   the  foundation    on  •v\    . 
rests,  the  mode  and  manner  of  ito  formation,  and  to  sliow  that  the  SoutUcuu   .iiAlv 
had  a  perfect  right  to  secede  from  the  I'nion. 

The  ideas  which  seem  to  prevail  in  Eui-ojie  are  that  the  States  romposfng-  t^ritMO^ 
ricun  Union  aie  mere  deparluients  or  piovinces  Of  the  Federal  riovemmea.t, kw. 
that  every  attempt  on  their  j)art  to  lea^•e  the  I'uion  into  wFiich  they  volnnt«r>^  *3 
tered,  each  acting  by  and  for  itself  as  a  .s<iverei»jn  Stale,  is  rebellion  or  reTftlViMa. 
The  States  created  the  Federal  Government.  It  was  not  instituted  to  betlifii  9ui>- 
ter,  hut  merely  their  represen'ative,  clothed  with  certain  specified  po'v-Ais-.s^K 
cburgedwith  the  peiformance  of  certain  cltarly  dutined  duties. 

When  the  thirteen  American  colonies  of  the  British  Crown  achieved  tTi«arBt<iir 
pendetice,  they  were  acknowledged  by  George  III  to  be  "  free,  oovereigB  ftastia- 
ilependent  States."  They  liad  agreed  to  certain  articles  of  confederatioa  •wiiag 
which  they  acted  during  tUe  war  of  independence.  From  the  peace  ef  17^3  to  ES'v 
no  change  was  made.  In  the  latter  year,  each  State  elected  delegates  to  a  t9**9»- 
tion,  for  the  purpose  of  framing  u  constitutiou  to  forma  "  more  perfe«t  F»i*a' 
In  that  convention  each  State  had  one  vote.  The  constitution  framed  by  it  CM^asir 
only  certain  limited  pi.weis,  and  it  provided  that  all  power  not  granted  waa  rej«f  *»€ 
to  the  States  respectively.  Thi.s  coiitititution  did  not  go  into  effect  by  aat^»7^«>- 
■  the  convention  or  tbe  foice  of  its  own  j)rovisitms,  but  it  was  submitted  t»  tbt  j»»> 
pie  of  each  State  fortheir  acceptance  or  rejection.  It  provided  that  when  it  »k«3i#.. 
lie  adopted  by  nine  Stafe.s,  it  should  go  into  operation  in  those  States.  Ifthcal&tr 
four  States  had  not  adopted  it,  they  would  not  have  been  included  in  the  forao  •!  fun. 
eminent  which  it  proposed.  Some  of  the  States  delayed  tliree  years  bett>5»  S;V»  - 
consented  to  join  the  Union.  Georgia  delayed  action  sereral  months.  Her  itt-a* 
lature  passed  an  hct  calling  a  convention  of  delegates,  to  be  elected  by  the  ftvftk, 
to  take  into  consideration  the  proposed  courtitution.  That  convention.  «»b  ^k  Sr 
day  of  January,  17K8,  passed  an  ordinance  accepting  the  cooetitution  «>f  the  Ci»3J»# 
States.  It  was  simply  an  act  of  the  people  of  the  State,  which  at  that  tiai»  S&»]f 
held,  and  have  eo  held  ever  since,  that  they  had  the  right,  by  the  aatne  prixsewK al-' 
any  time  lo  repeal  or  resoiud 

The  States  of  the  North,  feeling  a  strong  desire  for  the  protectioD  ©f  GoTetsMaaSc 
for  their  manufacturing  and  r&mmercial  iutere«U  and  knowing  that  sucfe  a  golilHp- 
was  antagonistic  to  the  interests  of  Southern  States,  have  not  cea««d  their  eSMd»t»- 
to  give  a  latitudinarian  oon6tructi<m  to  the  constitution,  and  to  bring  uit»  \i»\ 
lice  of  the  Govemmeut  the  exercise  of  unlimited  powers.    This  struggle  Ka»-1 
in  progress  more  than  thirty  years,  during  which  time  other  question* of  8tiU.( 
moment  have  sprung  up,  and  been  artlully  c^jnnected  with  this  clamor  for  prAta^aa. 
Duriug  that  whole  perii>d  the  Northern  State*  have  noi  only  failed  to  perfer 


8 

of  their  most  sacred  ilnties  under  Uie  constitution,  but  hnve  openly  vi<)1fited  its  C'Ii?ar-. 
oRt  provisions, thereby  relieving  tlie  Soutlieni  Stnles  from  all  legal  or  moral  obliga- 
tion to  remain  longer  in  political  connection  with  tbeni.  There  never  was  any  legal 
power  to  bind  them  ill  the  Union  if  they  jihould  .^ee  causij  to  leave  it.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  presenting  this  matter  in  apertectly  clear  liglit,  I  annex  a  copy  of  the  ordi- 
nance ot  the  convention  of  Georgia  in  17!:(S,  accepting  the  constitution  of  the  Uni- 
ted .States,  and  also  a  copy  of  the  ordinance  adopted  by  a  convention  of  tiie  people 
of  Georgia  in  January  hist,  rrptoting  the  ordinance  of  17S8.  The  action  of  the 
other  States  was  tlie  same  as  that  <.f  Georgia.  The  argument  ha.s  been  made'ia 
'  *ome  quarters,  that  if  the  original  States ''(I'-l  the  right  to  secede;  tlie  new  States  lia^l 
not.  Tills  is  erroneous.  The  power  j;iven  by  tlie  coristittition  to  Congress  to  adrnifi 
new  States  into  the  Union,  provides  .that  they  shall  hi  admittcil  on  the  same  footiiifj 
'  or  terms  as  the.  original  States; 

I  now  come  to  the  consideraci.on  of  tlie  commercial  and  financial  qnestions..  ■ 
The  people  of  England  have  been  so  lor/g  accustomed  to  regard  New  Yoik  as  the 
■  great  commercial  emporium  of  the  Uii'ited  States,  f.iid  to  form  ti't'ir  ideas  of  Ameri- 
can wealth  and  progress  as  being  dependent  entirely  on  the  commercial  prosperity  of 
the  Northern  States,  tiiat  it  has,  under  the  existing  stute  ill"  political  events, become 
a  duty,  not  only  tothe  isonthern  States,  lii;t  of  *,he  greatest  possible  interest  to  th'i 
great -manufacturing  and  commercial  GoMit.its  of  ExirojK?.,  that  the.  causes^  wJiicb 
have  produ(3ed  tliis  extraordinai-y  accuniuhitinc  of  wealth  and  triily  wonderful  pros- 
perity in  the  Northern  States  should  be  clearly  sta;teil,  and  tlie  sources  whence  they 
iiave  been  derived  distinctly  traced,  to  tiie  end  tliat  t!;e  Governments  of  those  coun- 
tries may  not  hesitate  to  perceive  how  easily  and  i'eadily  they  may  place  themselves 
in  the  same  relation,  commercially  and  tinan'cially,  to  the  planting  States  of  the 
^'>nth,  tli^t  ha'-' heretofore  existed  ^jL-fv.'een  tiie  Sou'heri!  ai;d  N<jrtheru  sectioriS  of 
the  American  Union. 

-    Tlie  nacurai  wuiii  of  ferMiity  in  tin-  -,o'.\  ..f  tiif^  Nurlh  -eastcni  States,  and  a  climate 
so  unfriendly  to  figriculture  as  to  limit   production  to  a  scanty  sU))p!y  lor  home  con- 
.-:imiption,  drove  the  people,  at  an  early  day,  toiieeji  profit-s  in  luaritiiiie,  manufac- 
■turiiig  aiiri  comiriercial  pursv.its.    Tiioy.  therefore,  so;;ght  tiie  early  protection  of  the 
GovenitTiciii.     J  >:i'!ts -iv^'i-c  lai.i   o!;   "'.  ;i  i:^;i '.oi  Ji.".^!    cninii.L'   into  the  ports  of  the 
United  St'ites,  aixl  ioioi/ji;  \-,:'ss(Is  v.>-ri-  ii\'  iu.ird  t'oiii  ;i]]  juirticipation  m  the  coa.st- 
iiig  trade  ;  and,  as  seamen  were  iiecessa;  y  ;o  t-r.pj.ly  un-  ii.(  ,-'_'i;siiig  tonn'age  of  the 
Northern  States,  large  bounties  were   oiTered  tu  t.'ni-e   'vl,:'  i  ;if,',-i;:-ii  in  the  cod  ami 
mackerel  fisheries,  on  tlie  plea  that  it  was  r.eccssary  Uj  •-i'i',b:i'-li  ;:  nursery  or  school 
,  for  seamen  for  national   maritime  deieiise      During   the   war  with  Great  Britain, 
which  commeiiced  inlSl'i,  siTiaii  iiu.iiul.icUiiirg  (stablisiiinents  sprung  up   all  over 
New  Enjfland,  and  at  tlie  cliise  of  tiint  contest,  the  jimprietors  of  those  works  ap- 
plied to  Ccuigress  f'-r  tijc  ■:-!ia.'tmei't  (if  a  !i;.,.:'-i  live  l.jiit.     I'lider  the   pretext  an^l 
pleathatit  would  he  wi-e  policy  t;.  '■ecv.if  a  iuiiue   sr.pj.iy  in  the  event  of  anotlier 
■war,  and  that  witlnuit  pi'otection  they  could  ni^t  (Mimpeie  witii  the  ^killed  industry  of 
Euifland  au'l  France.     The  S;iuth  yielded,  and   the  tarifl" Was  passed.     Tlie  iJier- 
•j.diants  of  Boston  and.  otlier  Xnvihern  cities  seeing  this  fijvorable  opening  for  invest- 
ment, immediately  threw  iiito  it  the  capital  wi,:<.-h  they  had  accumnhitcd  in  the  car- 
rying trade  pi-evioiis  to  1 1,0  war,  tlr.is  h;'"i;igir^'  tlirir  wealth  and  imuibers  to  tiiesu])- 
port  and  ranks  of  the  protectioni.-ts,  who,  thi.s  strenglhened,  weri^  trinuijiliant ;  and, 
■as  new  branches  of  manufacturing  industry  sj-n.ng  tip,  move  pidteciion  -was  dema-n- 
ded,  and  one  tariff  .act   succeeded  anotiit-r,  eu.'h   uioie   proteeiiv(.'  than   the  other, 
until  1828.     The  act  of  that  year  was  so  violative  of  justice  to  the  Southern  States,^ 
and  of  the  true  principles  of  taxation   under  tiie  constitution,  that  the  whole  South' 
wa.?  aroused  to  a   spirit  of  resistance  which    threatened  ihe  very  existence  of  tiie 
'Government.    The  compromise  tariff  of  1833  calmed  the  public  mind  of  the  South, 
.but   it  caused   a- feeling  of  resentment  in   tiie  Norti^j,  that  has  never    ceased   to 
seek  revenge,. and  a  restoration  of  tiie  hish  protc'-tive'systei'.i ;  and  it  is  this  financial 
question  which  underlies,  and  has  notceasedtni.riili.ite  it.-e!;  wi'li  ••very  other  cause 
Of  agitation,  until  it  has' finally   produced  the  dismiiiion  •!  ilii.-   (invenimeiit,  and 
which  came  ne-'ir  producing  the  same  result  nearly  tnuty   years  ago.    The  disctu- 
«ious connected  with  this  subject  called  forth  the  bitterest' invectives   ngaiust  tlie- 
.'South  from  stump  orators,  the  subsidized  press,  and  the  pnlpif ,  until  the  whole  Nortli- 
'  ^*rn  mind  has  become  fi-antic  with  denunciations  against  what  are  called  the  aggres-. 
sions  of  the  Sontli;  while,  in  fact,  the  South  lias  not  been  guilty  of  a   single  act  of 
aggresaion  against  the  Nortli,  but,  on  the  contrary,  bus  performed  every  constitu- 
tional duty,  and  has  suffered  immen.sely  by  these  grasping  exactions  of  the  North'. 
If  evidence  were,  wanting  toprove  that  the  financial  question  underlies  the  agitation 
Jit  the  North  against  the  South,  the  pass<^ge   of  the  Aiorrill"  Tariff  imniedifitely  after 
the  secession  of  the  Cotton  States,  leaving  the  Protectionists  with  a  clear  majority, 
would  be  suffieient.    The  compromise  tariff  of  1833  provided  for  a  gradual  reduc- 
tion of  customs'  duties, annually,  until  1840,  when  no  more  than  20  per  cent,  o<Z  »rt- 
/orfw,  was  to  be  collected..  In  1842  the  protective  system  was  revived.    The  pro» 
tective  principle  was  aL'ain  overthrown  by  the  ad  valorem  tariff  of  30  per  cent,  in 
184t),  which  was  reduced  to  24  per  cent,  in  1857.    Since   tiiat  time  the  Protectionists 
have  allied  themselves  to  every  fanatical  faction  in  the  country.    They  have  offered 
free  farms  in  the  western  territories  to  the  German  and  Irish  emigrants,  and  to  give 
"everything  to  everybody,"  to  obtain  .control  of  the  Government.    The  South  has 
presented  the  great  barrier  to  th.e  accomjilishment  of  their  purposes.    The  South, 
seeing  in  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln  that  the  whole  Nortli  had   become  united  in  a 
war  of  aggressive  opinion,  to  be  foUoweil  by  aggressive  legislation,  which,  if  neceW 
-*Wy.  w-as  to  be  supportedrand  enforced  by  arms,  and  finding  it  useless  to  prolong  the 
"Contest,  has  withurawu  from  the  Union.  . 


Ttie  p*<^.nniury  profit;;  and  nilvaiitiiffcs  wliidi  the  Xorlliern  Stite«  have  deriV]ed',._ 
from  the  ti^oai  operntiiiii.s  of  tlic  Keilciul  Govt-rmiieiit  caimnt  be  correctly  a«certain-\«'' 
u(l  or  (.'Stitnatt'il.     WecHiiOiily  '^Wrm  from  the  criisuH  ninl  <(ttn-r  authentic  joiireen'" 
some  prominent  fiicti"  and  re.-<ults.     We  find   that,  in   coiisi.-fineiice  of  the  protective 
j)olicy  of  the  Government,  the  c-otfon  manufa'-ture  in  tlie  Northern  States,  wliich  in 
l.S.dJ  amounted  to  only  §1,048,0 J9  in  value,  had  increased  to  .:?V2  iOl, 853  in  185(1.  an 
increase  of  thirteen  hundred  percent.     It  i^i  estimaied  that  it  now   amounts  to  over 
§r5,OI»0,0(IO  annually.     The  total  value  of  inanufactureM  in  the  >'orthern  States  in 
1810  was  ?J47,'l4X,Jfr2.    In  I8.j()  they  amounted  to  §S54,fiir.,67D.idiowingan  increase 
of  about  two  himdred  and  fifty  piT  cent,  in  ten  year.--. 

The  retnriiH  under  the  cenni'isof  180»0  iiavenot  yet  been  published,  and,  therefore,- 
we  have  iiD.oiiicial  ilafa  to.-how  the  <reneral  state  of  itnhistry  in  the  country.    The 
States  of  New  York  and  .Masr.uhnsef.s  gave  St.ate  r<turn«  for  1855,  and   those  re^  . 
turns,  as  compared  with  1850,  show  won  1 1  erf  n  I  profp-ess. 

Tiie  value  of  all  nianu'actnresin  Ma»sacliusett*iii   1850  was  $151,137,145,  and  in 
1855  they  amounted  to  .■*-.''.)5,8J!t,(i00,  an  increase  of  almost  two  Immtred  per  cent,  int 
rive  years.    The  manufactures  ol  New  Yoik  amounted  in  1!*50  to  SW,'.I04,403,  and  in 
1855  to  $'ir,-i28,:5;}I  — showinethe  pr(Mli;:ious  increase  of  wi'/rA  /w«/r  thanthree  hun- 
dred per  <'ent  in  tive  years.    The  cens-.is  of  1850  slio\Vs  that  those  two  States  produc- 
ed more  tlian  one  halt  of  the  wliole  amount  of  Northern  manulacturcs.     If  they  hold 
Uie  same  proporiion  now,  tlie  Northern  manufactures  will  reach  $l.",'SO,0<J<>,00'.»,  and 
Mi  these  tue  sales  South  will  amount  to  About  §;100,0(IO,0(;0.    This  tndy  astonishing 
il'evelopment  of  manufacturiiifr  industry  h.is  grown  up  in   the  Northern  States  since 
the  peafie  of  If-bJ,  nndertlie  inttuence  of  the  protective  system,  which,  by  imposing 
hi<,'li  duties  on  fore!t;n  {;o<>ds,  operateil  as  a  bounty  on  .'ill  domestic  fabriis,  and  pave  . 
to  Nortliern  maiiuiactiirers  control  (;f  tli'j  Southern   market  at  an   average  profit  of   - 
'  twiMify-five  per  (.-ent-  on  tlif  sale  of  their  manutactured  goods. 

It  has  been  es  j:iiated  on  data  b.'h<vtd  t  •  be  correct,  that  the  average  conMimp- 
fiou  of  manufactures  of  all  kinds  in  the  NortJiern  .States  is  .'$i'/).  and  in  the  Southern  ^ 
States  §50  per  licad  of  the  population.     The  diflerence  is  caiise<l  by  the  clima.te. .        « 
The  census  ni  ;8i'.i  shows  the  population  of  the  .S«<nt!ievn  StHlen  to   be  .    -     _        _ 

l:J,'>15,i','vi.    Tiieir  consnmution  would  therefore  be $f)l.'>.750,15ft  , 

The  census  of  1S50  stales  the  value  of  limnesfic  nsanufac- 

turesin  tiieSoutiiern  States  to  have  been '. .  :?I64,57'J,937  y 

Estimated  increa-<e 40,00(1,000  ' 

Amount  or  valne  of  Northern  manntacture.i  sent  South  in  * 

18.>;) ...• 3^0,000,000  vi 

504,J79,9"J7j, 

Amount  or  v.ilu"  ot  Knropean  jrood«,'ia»ported   mostly  thn>u);h  New  _         w 

York,  anil  sold  South  at  u  profit  of  jit  lea^t  twenty  per  cent 111,176,213^- 

Total $!J15,/ 5»i,150 ^ 

The   census  of  1850   states  the  value  of  a;j."icultural  products  of  the  ___ 

Southern  States  to  iiave  been 5C8,57-l,lO* 

The  cotton  croji  was $101  ,«:}4,Hlti  .3 

The  cotton  ;-.-op  of  185!)  was  sold  for '^33 ,500  000 

lucrease  over  I "<50 131 ,66-3,334 

The  sugar  crop  of  |S.j!t,iucliidin{;  molasses,  hoM  tor. ...». .      3 1, ;$!•'.', •241  .j^- 

TliK  value,  us  stati.-d  in  the  census  of  18.:0,  wa.'j  then  only..       ir),5JS,3IO  ^           H; 

lucrease  in  ten  years 14,7C>9,C'3I* ■ 

Increase  in  the  value  of  the  crop  of  tobacco 1:J,350,00(I 

Iiicrea.sc  in  the  iiuantity  and  value  of  grain  and  other  agricultural  pro- 
dues  since  1S50 ij;.,ooo,o«<y 

Total  valup  of  ajrricultura!  product"  in  li^.j'' !tSI'i,a8tj,418: 

Tiic  ceii-us  of  1S.jO  allows  that  of  those  grains  whicii    ;ire  conmion  to  all  secfiow^. 
the  Southern  Slates  produced  in  value   ojnal  to  $:«»,  ami  that  the   Northern  State*,  . 
produceil  in  vahie  erpial  to  only  §i<  per  head  of  tlie  wiiole  pirpulation.  \>i 

The  New  Engl.ind  States,  wliicli   are  mi  largely   manufaclurii.g,  do  not,  with  tb^k 
exceptiou  of  a  small  (piantity  of  wool,  pioduce  any  of  the  raw  materials  whitth  ijjty^ 
require,  nor  ilo  fhej'  prodiu;e  coal,  or  iron,  or  wheat.    The  census  of  lHj>0  sliows  that 
the  value  of  their  agricultural  products  is  only  $15  per  head  of  tiie   pojjulation.  a 
tiuantily  tmeqnal  to  the  support  of  life.     An  able  writer  in  Boston  states  that  in  18;>H 
one-third  of  ail  the  tlour  and  live-sevenths  of  all  the  corn  sold  in  Uoston  was  receiv-. 
ed  from  the  comuH-rcial  ports  id"  the  Southe-.ti  States.    In  addition  to  the  great  Btaple 
articles,  cotton,  tobacco,  and  sugar,  the  Sonlhern  States  sent  North  vast  quantities  of 
Indian  corn,rice,  sweet  potatoes,  hemp,  n.ival  stores,   timber,  w(Hd,  llour,  wheat, 
.live  stock,  and  various  fither  proilucts. 
llie  census  of  1850  gives  the  number  of  live,  stock  in  the  Southern  States 

at  that  time .|0,.S-23,r27 

In  the  N.ortheru  States -.-  3o,40n,134 

Difference  in  favor  of  the  SonV.t 4,4l4..5y3 

The  concentration  (.f  commerce  and  trade  in  the  ciiy  ot  New  York .  aird  the  extra- 
ordinary development  »>f  manufacturing  industry  in  tlie  Northern  States,  produced 
by  the  protective  system,  has  caused  the  annual  migration  from  the  .South  to  the 
North,  in  summer,  of  men  of  business  of  all  classes,  from  the  shipping  merchant  to 
the  country  shopkeeper.  The  summer  and  autumn  moi:thsare  al,-<o  <ievoted  to  trav- 
•eling  and  amusemcint  by  the  plauters',  with  their  familio*     The  ■  stiionf.' ii.is  b«ea 


made,  on  well  authenticated  data,  tiiut  more  th'sn  one  Imhdred  tboUfiRD(J  people  visit 

the  Northern  from  the  Southern  States  auiiually  during  the  .summer  monlhe,  at  au  iv- 

erofje  expense  of  $500  each.  .    ■ 

The  account  between  the  North  and  the  South  for  1859  inny  be  thus  str.ted :        •' 

T!ie  South  sent  North. 


Dills  and  raw  material .S-2G-2,5(;2,394 

OMier  produce 150,00(1,1)00 

ifoney  expended  by  travel- 
ers.'  .., 50,000,000 


.5i(;j,5G-j,3:ii 


The  North  Sent  Sonfh 

Domestic  ^oodc §293,300,394 

Imported    do     i lO.OOO.UOO 

lutL-rest,  brokerage,  con. mis- 
sion, &.C ,53,200,006 


4C2,5fi2,3'.»4 


^This  statement  approximatc-s  the  vast  nu;ount  of  trade  and  interco'jfse  between  the 

Northeinand  Soutliern  StiUes.  ,  ' 

An  examination  of  the  census  shows  tlifit  Northern  commerce  and  n.-ivipation,  like 

Northern  matiuf.ictures,  liave  been  fouiuk'd  upon,  and  ;^'rown  up  with.  Southern  jlir. 

rieulture.  '~': 

In  the  year  17:10  tlie  exports  of  tlie  Uiiited  States  amounted  to  onlv ?;l?,G6C,idl 

The  cotton  culture  liad  just  A'liiiiieiK'i  a.  aiiu  the  c.xpoitcf 

that  amouiite(i  to  only .*1:.','.'S;'> 

Tobacco ' 4,'.ii'/Cii)7 

Rice l',?53 ,7  9  G 


a,,      ,  G,I45,G48 

Thetnreefjrent  Soutliern  ]ivodacts  formino^  about  one-third  id'  tlie   entire  exports. 
The  tonnage  of  thecountiy  liad  not  he;;un  to  be  influenced  by  flie  cotton' crop. 

The  total  exports  in  1821   iLiuoniited  li i;'43  671  8^*4 

Cotton $20,157,484     "      '       ' 

Tobacco 12,809,000 

Rice ... ; 1 ,494.3Sr 

\.  31,4G0..S71 
More  than  three-f  uirths  of  the  eiitiif  exports. 

.   The  tounaye  in  1S20  WH.s  1,119,73(1  ton.'-.    ■  • 

In  Ic'.m  the  exports  were 'f  100,916,660 

Cotton ^7l.2H4,J>2o 

Tobacco 10'0r>'i,()4(.i 

Rice 2,54pi,75i» 


t3,9;)2,ol5         tons. 

Tonnagro 1.(520,719 

In  1851)  the  total  export.s  were #27ti.392  080 

Cotton |!232,434,i»23 

Tobacco 21,(<74,(i3d 

liJce 2207.148 


255,71(1,109 

The  tonna^-e  Imd  increased  to  3.977,970  ton.-'. 

For  the  purpcrse  of  making  this  pupn-  «,-•  short  as  possible,  the  three  leading  arti- 
cles of  export  only  have  been  taken.  A  \'ery  hu;4e  nuK>unt  of  timber,  naval  stores, 
.flour  and  grain  have  also  been  exported  from  the  South. 

•The  above  figures  ^vill  show  in  a  strong  li,i;ht  that  the  shipping  interest  of  the 
iJorthern  States  has  been  built  up  on  Il:e  a;:!  imiltural  products  of  the  Scnthei  n  States, 
protected  as  it  has  been  by  the  tonnage  duties  on  foreign  shiiiping,  and  Laving  the 
entire  monopoly  ot  the  coasting  trade. 

The  estimated  amount  of  freight  earnings  on  the  movement  of  this  vast  quantitv 
of  produce  in  1859,  and  the  retmn  cai;:^*-^,  is  $j;j,(;0O,0(;O.  The  number  of  Northeiri 
ves.sels  eniployed  in  Southern  ports  fui-  th''  ye/ir  ending  the  30th  June,  1858,  was 
2,52(i,  measuring  1,200,798  tons,  and  manned  b.v  37,421  seamen. 

A  most  reniaikalilc  e\idence  that  the  iiiciease  of  Northern  tonnage  has  depended 
on  the  increase  vt  t;;e  cotton  crop  is  shown  in  the  two  ])eiiod6  of  1630  and  18.5!) : 
In  lS3n  the  tonnage  of  Northern  States  wa.i,  872,578  toDS. 

The  cotton  crop  of  1830  was,  870,415  bales. 

In  1859  the   tonnage  was,  »  4,481,436  tons 

The  cotton  crc)p  of  1^59  was.  4,500,000  bales.       ^ 

Other  intermediate  periods  mif;!;!  i)  -  given  to  show  that  the  iuorease  bf  tonnage- 
has  kept  i)ace  with  the  increase  of  the  cotton  crop. 

There  cannot  be  a  stronger  evidence  presented  of  the  solvency  and  good  faith  of' 
the  people  of  the  Southern  States  than  the  extent  and  cost  of  their  railways,  and  the- 
solvent  condition  of  the  companies  which  \nx\e  constructed  them,  as  compared  with 
the  Northern  companies.  The  South  has  constructed  9,053  miles  of  railway  at  a 
cost  of  $-24,100  per  mile,  or  total  ,?>2 1, 857,503,  and  theie  are  but  three  companies 
that  have  been  delinquent  in  the  payment  of  interest,  and  that  only  on  $2,025,000  of 
their  bonds.  The  railways  in  the  Northern  States  have  cost  an  average  of  $50,000 
per  mile,  and  there  are  thirty  companies  that  have  failed  to  pav  interest  on  their 
bondi  amounting  to  $107,120,000.  , 

.The  annual  profitji  which  the  Northeni  States  derive  from  their  commerce  and  in- 
tercour.se  with  the  Sputhecn  States  uiay  be  thus  stated: 


11 

•ProfiUon  domestic  nianufacturesof  &11  fortsst-nt  SoutJi,  §7o,CC0,00O 

Profitu  on  foreipi  iinpdrtttfioiisi  Neiit  South,  ::C,000,000 

Expenditures  «»f  J(;0.(i(Kl  Soulliein  truvtlers  anriiinlly.  in  tlic  Xortliern  -      ; 

■  States,  at  nn  aveinp.-oi  Jfot.OeHcli,  .y),(K)0,000 

, interest,  brnkernf;c,  wnri  coiimii!4>ioii^  on  the  vast  iiinount  of  coiiimeicial 

tr^iir>uoiioiis  belueeii  the  two  s  c-liuiisof  the  couiili y,  C3,0<)fl,000 

•  3-213,000.000 

When  we  consider  that  in  181  n,  nt  tlie  eommpi.t'ement  of  the  prciective  i<j>ttir, 
the  Noitlicin  States  were  njiiio!*i  dej-titute  of  agriciiitural  prodiicii'  !or  exportation, 
that  their  coal  <«im!  iron  uiineR  •nere  nh1lo^t  urkiiown,  and  Uiut  tliey  l:H-i,  couparR- 
tively,  little  coininerce  exce))t  the  f]^heri(•^'  and  the  cairyintr  tiadc,  i.r.'i  truui  that  pe- 
'iiod  their  !;:aniii(icliirirf^  aid  commercial  iniiiislry  have  ii.cieas-ed  am!  kept  pate 
precisely  with  the  c^rowtli  of  .Southern  agrifiiHuie  we  cat;  readily  perceive  the  c«Uhe.s 
"which  have  jirtHluced  the  {;reaf  arcuniulation  of  wealth  iii'tlie  ]S'o!tliL!u  tectioii  of 
the  (Jnion.  It  has  been.'-howii  th.-it  tiirouph  the  instiunieiitality  of  tluft  iiy>tfcin  the  • 
Northern  States  lI.•lve^ecl'.red  to  ti.euiiiclve.i  jrieat  pntit^on  all  tiranchc-^  vX  their  vn- 
tlnntrvi  and  theetilire  imniopoly  of  Siuthein  coniioerce,  both  foreign  ai;d  dnnei-tjc. 
The  secesriion  of  the  Soiitliern  Slates  has  severed  at  a  single  blow  their  fiiiniicial 
and  comtneicial,  as  it  lias  (heir  political  coiuiection  with  the  Northern  iSiates.  2vorth' 
ern  inasinfactined  u'oodi",  which  have  isitlierto  been  protected  by  hij:h  'ariflV.  niuit 
hereafter,  if  adinii  ted  to  Southern  n.arket>s,  pay  the  same  diitiet<  as  European  iiiev- 
ohandise.  Xortiiern  tl.ipjiii:}:  will  no!oii;;tr  have  1  he  exclusive  monopoly  ot  the  coast- 
ing trade  of  the  Soutliei  n  ©lutes  or  be  prote<-ted  by  hit;h  tonnn<.'t'  duties  in  South- 
ern ports  af;aiiist  fore!f;ii  cunpetition.  S«'iitherii  coininerce  with  Europe  which  has 
liiHierto  been  forced  tlirniiyh  the  f)ort  and  cily  of  New  Yoik,  uiuhl  hcreftfter  pass  di- 
rectly between  the  Southern  poits  and  those  of  Europe,  nii};inenttu  by  tiie  vui-t 
Hniouiit  of  exchaiifjeable  coininoditiep  wiiich  have  hithei  too  been  monopolized  by  the 
Northern  Slate?,  under  the  operation.-,  and  effectti  of  the  protective  ^y*t^•ln. 

A  very  lar^^e  au^'nienfatien  of  the  wealth  of  the  Northern  StntcH  \m»  been  caused 
by  the  fiVca!  operations  (if  the  G<iveniuient,  The  revenue  has  been  Oerived  from 
custom  duties  on  ii!;port>.  and  coii.sequently  paid  in  Northein  cities— n-oi-lly  in  New 
York — and  tlie  disbursements  of  the  Government,  amountiif:  to  about  ciffhiy  mil- 
lions of  dollars  per  aniium,  have  been  made  in  the  Northeni  States.  It  is  the  dear 
perception  on  the  jmrt  of  IIk-  Northern  |)eople  that  tlie  secession  inoveiiifnt  will  de- 
prive them  of  the  ad\antH(jes  they  have  hitherto  enjoyed  uinlirthe  tf;'ettsaiid  infln- 
enccsof  the  protective  system  that  has  caused  the  wondeilul  esciteii;ciit  and  enthu- 
siasm which  have  been  exhibikd  iu  resp<  ni-e  to  the  war  measures  of  I'resident  Lin- 
coln. 

The  very  pveat  facility  with  wliirh  co'ton  can  be  wrought  into  various  fabrics, 
fjoiii  ll;e  finest  and  most  fashionable  textuie.«  to  the  coaisesi  and  most  durable  arl:- 
c!e«,  to  suit  the  taste,  coiiiloit  and  ctmvcnience  of  all  classes  of  all  nation.'-,  has  lauf- 
ed  its  production  and  manufacture  to  beciijneone  of  the  necetsilics  a;.<l  wonders  ot 
the  ape  in  which  we  live.  It  isiiot  surjirisinp.  iherelore,  that  preat  anxiety  shonkl 
be  felt  in  the  principal  uionufacturinp  ct^unliies  of  Europe,  where  ."o  loudi  «';iiital  is 
invested  iu  manutacturinp  establi^hiiK  nis.  and  so  many  peojile  are  euiployed  in  them, 
respecting  a  coi'.statit  j-upply,  fuilicient  toii.eet  the  increasiuirdemai^o  :  and  the  fear 
seems  to  be  entertained,  especially  in  Ei  gland,  that  the  collon-prewiic  !•  cion  of  the 
Southt'in  States  of  America  will  nitiinately  fail  to  meet  the  iiicrea>ire  w.Ti.ts  of  the 
commerci<il  world.  A  very  brief  statement  of  facts,  derived  from  (tiiciul  sources, 
will  besutlicient,  it  ii- believed,  to  satisfy  the  most  sceptical  that  Mich  tears  aie  witli- 
out  the  slightest  foundation.  There  are  ten  States  in  whieh  cotton  is  .-ucccsfully 
"cultivated,  viz  ;  North  Carolina.  South  Carolina,  (icoipia.  Florida.  Tenuessee,  Ar- 
kansas. Alabama.  Mississippi,  Louisiana  and  Texas.  The  area  of  tl.(.se  States  is 
7UG,'i8S  square  miles,  or  'loi.',(!i?l,:t'J(t  acres.  Tie  average  pidchxt  of  cotton  per  KC.re 
is  estimated  at  Imif  a  b.-ile  of  000  lbs.  The  crop  of  IK.jft.  the  largest  ;et  made,  wfi.s 
•!,.':rOO,OG(l  bales,  whieh  at  theaverape  product  required  only  ;i.i;f!«'.(i(0"«cres.  It  has 
been  estimated  that  one-hnlf  the  urea  id'  the  States  named,  is  suited  to  the  eu'.livatioH 
of  cotton;  but  for  the  jnupose  of  avoiding  all  possible  clitici^nl,  I  will  ;-;iy  ri!ip-third,i 
or  15  1,071,773  acres,  which,  at  half  a  bale  to  the  acre,  will  proiluce  7ri,3;i7,r;'?^  bales  of 
.^00  lbs.  each,  aid  the  entire  weight  of  which  would  be  .37.t;«>S.fi?:t.(i(  0  llw.  If  we  as- 
sume that  the  entire  jMipulation  of  the  earth  amounts  to  l.'J(;0,(;tHl,(K'0,  that  quantity 
ot  C'Otton  would  give  3i'  lbs.  to  every  man,  wtuiinu  and  child  on  the  U^ck-  el  the  globe. 
This  would  l)e  more  than  three  times  as  rnu;h  as  is  consuin*  d  iu  Engl.-ii.d.  ai.d  nearly 
eight  times  the  quantity  ctuisumed  in  France  per  head  of  the  |H>pulatiou.  The  con- 
Munption  ot  Great  UVituin  is  stated  to  be  9  lbs  .  an<i  that  of  France  to  be  4  lbs.  per 
head  of  tlie  entire-  population.  If  the  consumption  of  the  whole  people  of  the  w<irld 
were  to  be  brought  up  to  the  present  consumption  of  France,  they  would  require  but 
".>.G00,0y0  bales,  or  less  than  one-eighth  part  of  the  crop  wliicli' the  cotton  States 
could  produce.  If  the  consumption  were  to  reach  thatot  Great  Britain,  it  would  re- 
'  i-equire  :il,t>00,(KK)  bales,  or  a  little  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  capacity  of  the  pro- 
duction of  the  cotton  States. 

I  will  now  consider  the  question  of  labor  to  be  employed  in  the  cultivation  iof  cot- 
Ion  Ui  meet  this  constantly  increosn^p demand.  The  census  of  18(".0  pives  the  slave 
population  of  the  ten  cotton-producing  States  above  named,  to  be  2,941 ,009.  The  av- 
erage number  of  laborers,  or  those  tit  for  service,  is  two-thirds  of  the  whole;  there 
are,  therefore,  in  Lliose  States  1, 961, Of 2,  suitable  to  be  employed  iu  some  kind  <if  ser- 
vice, iiiid  leaving  out  one-third  as  the  nuniber  of  young,  old  and  inlirm.  The  aver- 
age puinber  of  bales  of  cottou  to  Uie  Land  io  stated  to  be  eight :  it  therefore  required 


1^ 

but  5()2,5)0  laborers  ti)  produce  the  4,50(l,00(»  bales  sent  to  market  in  lSo9.  .Thesa 
iij^ures  show  timt  there  were.l.39iS,57"i  laborers  iu  those  States  not  employed  iu  the' 
■f.ultivation  of  oottoii.  If  we  dediit-t  150,000  employed  in  the  production  of  sugar  aiid 
molasses,  we  still  have  l,i,'48,5r'i  not  employed  in  tlie  cultivation  of  cotton  or  cane. 
•  These  are  occupied  in  all  the  other  various  departments  of  service.  The  increase 
.  of  the  slave  popidation  is  foiirper  cent,  per  annum,  or  one  hundred  per  cent,  every 
twenty-live  years.  The  increase  will,  tht-refore,  be  forty  per  cent,  in  the  next  ten 
yeai's,  or  l,l(Jb,f>43.of  the  whole  number,  which  will  give  an  increase  of  7r-l,3'J8  la- 
borers, and  l!li,S'J8  »((?/■«  than  were  empkyed  to  produce  the  crop  of  4,.5()0,()00  bales 
iu  18."yj.  The  crop  of  ci>ttou  was  increased  one  hundred  per  cent,  from  18.")0  to  18*>0, 
and,  should  the  demand  contiiuie,  the  product  may  be  au.i:cmeiited  by  the  natnral  in- 
•crease  of  the  present  population  of  the  cotton  growinj;  States,  so  as  to  reach  9,000,- 
000  bales  in  1870,  or  one  hundred  percent,  above  the  crop  of  1850,  and  this  increase 
of  production  may  be  continued  to  meet  tlie  demand  to  an  iiidetiuite  pe.iod. 

Tiie  cotton  growers  of  the  Southern  States  do  lU/t  regurd  with  tiie  slightest  anxiety 
or  jealousy  the  etl'oi  ts  that  are  being  made  to  produce  cotton  in  Asia,  Africa,  Auslr-i- 
Jiaaud  Soutli  AouM-iea.  If  success  atteiidw  the  inoveinents  of  the  Cotton  Supply 
Association  ot  Manchester,  the  result  will  be  simply  to  enable  the  people  of  th(ise 
countries  to  consimie  a  quantity  of  manufactured  goods  in  proportion  to  the  quality 
of  cotton  prodnred and  t-.\p(irtc(l.  It  is  a  perfectly  well  ascertained  fact,  that  the 
■Cotton  Spates  ^li'  t'l  •  .S  lutlic-i-ii  (.'oulV'i.ieracy  contain  tlKMUily cotton-growing  region  iu 
the  world  wli(;ri:  ainr..'  cdltiui  i.-<  piuiluced  than  is  consuiiieil  in  manufactured,  goods  ; 
therefore,  all  ooiuitries  that  dii  not  produce  cotton  must  depend  on  those.  States  for 
that  material  to  supply  their  home  consumotion.  The  hand  Ibbor  of  India  and  China 
■canuOt  compete  witli  the  skilled  industry  of  the  manufacturing  cotmtries  of  Europe. 
India  now  receives  from  Eii!;'lai!(i  a'most  twice  the  number  of  pounds  uf  monufao- 
tared  goods  tiiaf  .^he  sends  iii'raw  cotton  to  Knglaiul.  In  1858  England  received  from 
India  i;3J,7-2i;,5;5  lbs.  of  raw  cotton,  and  sent  to  India  :J:i3,O(l0,0i)O  lbs.  of  yarns  and 
manulV.clured  c<>itou  goods.  As  the  tra<!e  ot  China  is  now  thrown  open,  the  fabrics 
of  her  haud-ioonis  iiiust  give  place  to  the  machine  goods  of  western  Europe.  If  her 
<,-onsumption  of  cotton  shall  equal  that  of  France,  it  will  be  1,4!0,'jOO,000  lbs.,  equal 
to  2,880,000  bales  of  500  lbs.  each,  per  annuui. 

Those  who  imagine  that  the  half  civilize'l  people  of  India,  or  the  savage  tribes  of 
Africa,  e.:ii  compete  with  the  Southern  States  of  America  in  the  cultivation  of  cotton, 
iiiiglit  as  well  snjipose  tiiat  the  system  of  agriculture  of  England  or  France  could  be 
i  itroduced  into  either  of  those  countries.  As  much  science  is  required  and  employed 
in  the  coti'm  cidture  as  in  any  branch  of  Rgri('ulture  in  the  world.  But  it  is  said  cot- 
ton grow.-;  on  tri-es  in  the  tropics  I  Sodo  griipes;  but  di>es  it  follow  that  the  people 
of  India  ami  Africa  can  rival  those  of  France  in  the  cultivation  of  the  vine,  With 
improvetliaiplenients  and  maclunery,and  the  employment  of  horses,  mules  and  oxen. 
the  ([uaiitity  of  cotton  produced,  to  the  hand  or  laborer,  has  been  more  than  doubled 
witiiiii  the  h's;  tweiity-tive  yeais.  The  (j'l.-ility  has  been  improvi'il  by  the  selection  of 
sec'(l,  iiiid  "h"  :i;ijiroveiiH-iit  of  tile  s. ill  by  fertilizers  .-ind  .--(dentific  culture.  Some 
ilea  may  ir'  toniied  of  the  imergy  \v\Ui  which  Southern  agriculture  is  prosecnted 
.  from  the  nil.;.!. e;  of  animals  employed.  The  census  of  I8.i0  gives  the  number  of 
horses,  nrr!e>^  iiiii  nxen  in  the  Southern  States,  at  tiiat  time,  to  have  been  5,39(),1'54. 
while  in  all  the  Northern  States  tli.-re  were  but  3,r/ ^,.593.  The  quantity  of  food  pro- 
videil  by  Southern  planters,  us  comuai'ed  to  the  supply  for  Morthern  laborers,  is 
shown  in  the  same  census.  Swine  are  the  gieatest  article  of  animal  t'ood  in  both 
.  secti.iiis.  Tiiere  were  ■JO,llOS,'Jt;4  in  the  Soulhern  States,  ami  but  Jl),3.1.!,-J(j5  in  the 
Northern  States  Such  has  been  the  improveuieiit  in  the  cotton  culture  since  Is'ov.', 
the  date  of  :.he  compilation  of  the  returns  under  the  census  of  1S.")0,  tin;  miiiiber  of 
acrfas  wilier,  each  laliorer  can  cultivate,  and  the  produce  (ler  acre,  has  been  laigeiy 
increased,  and  the  9!(r///7y  of  the  st.iple  or  fibre  very  muck  hnprorcil.  'J'he  eottou 
AV-hich  was  -proluced  thirty  years  ago  would  not  now  be  marketable.  Under  the  ine 
'  proveil  system,  a  laborer  will  now  cultivate  twenty  acres  of  cotton  witii  as  much 
ease  as  iTe  fonneily  cultivati-d  ten.  Immense  tracts  ot  country  thiit,  ten  yetirs  ago, 
\ven'  nor  e:r;isirleied  suitably  t'eitile  for  the  profitable  production  of  cotton,  are  beiiig 
cultivatei  with  ijertecl  success.  The  area  of  land  now  regarded  as  valuable  for  cot- 
t  (U  is  more  tiuiu  tive  times  larger  than  that  stated  jn  the  census  returns  ni  1850. 

Cotton  cannot  be  successfully  produced  further  South  than  \vhere  there  is  sntfl- 
cient  frost  to  destroy  the  ins^-cts,  wliicii  are  so  destriuttive  to  the  idantin  the  tropics, 
and  M'hich,  inr.uy  years  ago,  caused  its  cultivation  in  the  West  ladies  tj  be  almost 
discontuiui^:;.  'i'lie  northern  limit  to  which  the  culture  may  be  carried  is  near  the 
thirtv-tn;;i!];  decree  of  north  lutiturie.  That,  however,  depends  on  the  elevation  of 
the  snrfiic-'  if;,  \e  the  level  of  the  sea — the  mountain  range  being  too  cold.  The 
S  intiien;  ii.o::  el  safe  and  profitable  culture  is  from  the  twenty-ninth  to  the  thirtieth 
■  degi-ee  of  north  latitude.  These  limits  give  a  belt  of  about  live  degrees  of  latitude 
in  width,  extending  fr(Mn  the  A'hmtic  coast  to  the  commeiicement  of  the  elevated 
■jilains  ea.st  of  the  liocky  iMouiitains.  Cotton  cannot  be  succes.sfully  cultivated  in 
ilny, region  whi  re  there  is  a  v,-et  and  dry  season.  The  extremes  of  rain  and  drongliT. 
ar ^equally  f.ital  to  the  proiiueti(rn  of  the  staple  or  fibre.  Troi>ical  rains  cause  the 
plant  to  grow  t<Jo  large,  and  eitie'r  extreme  v.-et  or  dry  weathef  will  canse  the  blos- 
soms and  young  bolls  to  dioii  "ilf.  Ttierefore,  climate  is  one  of  the  first  considerations 
in  the  selection  of  a  region  saitable  f(U-  the  cultivation  of  the  cotton  plant.  That  of 
•the  Cott;>n  States  is  peculiarly  suitable  for  that  purpose.  The  prevailing  winds  in 
spring  and  summer,  charged  with  moisture  flow  inland  from  the  Atlantic,  and  are  met 
by  cold  currents  of  air  from  the  Alleghany  and  Rocky  Mouutains,  which  are  attrac- 
.^eJ'  by  the  radi  itioii  of  lieat  on  the  plaias.    The  contact  causes  frequent  shower* of 


13 

rnin  to  fall  throughout  the  spring,  summer  and  autumn,  in  sufficient  quantitT  to  pre- 
serve a  healthy  growth  and  early  maturity  of  tho  plant,  without  eudaugering  it«pro- 
duct  of  cottun.  There  is  8uflicieutfro.»t  in  the  winter  to  destroy  iiusects,  wliicli  are 
80  fatal  in  the  tropics*.  Therein  no  part,  of  the  eartii'8  surface  bo  favoi ably  formed 
and  situated  for  the  production  of  cutton. 

The  Sta*e!<  forming  tiie  Soutliern  Confederacy  are  tlie  greatest  cotton  aud  tobacco 
producing  regions  in  the  world.  They  also  produce  rice,  timber,  naval  stores,  tht- 
cereal  grains,  and  edible  roots,  in  great  variety  and  inexhaustible  quai;fi(y.  Their 
<'xpoits  may  be  augmented  to  any  amount  to  meet  the  wa)its  of  the  uiaiiu'faciuring 
and  commercial  W(^rld.  Their  consumption  of  manufactured  merchandise  is  proba- 
bly tiiiee  times  as  great  us  any  other  agricultural  people,  of  equal  nmnbt-r,  and  will 
be  augmetited  as  tlieir  exports  insrease. 

Tiii-s  vast  commerce,  which  has  hitlierto  been   controlled  by  the  Northern  States    .'^ 
tiiroHgh  the  instrumentality  of  the  protective  system,  and  the  fiscal  <:perati(ins  of  the  ■"; 
Federal  Government,  is  now  offered  to  the  manufacturing  and  commercial  nations  of 
ICiirope.    Will  they  accept  it,  or  will  they  permit  Mr.  Lincoln's  blockading  squadron 
to  forbid  the  intercourse  ?  " 

The  Washington  Government  declares  its  intentidp  to  be  only  the  enforcement  of 
the  revenue  laws  ;  that  is,  the  collection  of  customs  luties.    Tiiis  declaration  carries     ■ 
•  Ml  its  face  tlie  stnuip  of  falsehood.     Mi'.  Liiif^ohi  and'his  advisers  cannot  be  so  igno- 
rant as  not  to  know  that  it  is  impossible  to  collect  the  revenue  at  sea,  simply  because 
there  will  not  be  any  one  who  will  come  there  to  jjay  it. 

Every  vessel  that  is  stojiped  and  detained  at  sea  "by  a  blockading  squadron  forfeit.'' 
her  policy  f>f  insurance.     Her  voyage  is  broken  uj),  and  .v'Ap  7jc   rnptvrcti  umier  the    '.' 
pretext  tiiat  her  captain  or  supercargo  must  pay  duties  under  tlie  Northern  tariff  .• 
when  they  have  no  money  or  authority  to  do  so;  nor  would  it  be  possible  to  ascer-  • 
tain  the  description  and  (juantity  of  goods   comprising  the  cargo,  without   opening  ■ 
every  package,  nor  even  then  without  the  invoices.     The  limited  space  of  a  ship's      • 
deck  is  too  small  for  anv  such  pmcess.  and.  besides,  the  blockade  is  established  un- 
der the  pretext  of  eulorciiig  the  law.    That  is  ab.-<urd,  because  the  law  rerjuires  that 
every  cargo  shall  be  Inndrd  within  a  cert.uiii  number  of  days  after  the  ai  rival  of  the 
ship.    Therefore,  the  blockade  is  not  only  a  violation   of  tlie  laws  of  nafioiw  and  the 
rigiitsof  neutrals,  but  every  ship_  that  is  .stopped  and  overhauled  for  the  purpose  of 
eollecling  duties  on  the  cargo,  is  just  as  ir.ucli  a  capture  as  she  would  be  were  she 
.stopped  in  the  middle  of  the  Atlantic  by  a  j)irate,  ami  required  to  i)ay  a  ransom. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  political  difficulties  between  tJieNorliiein  aiid  Southern 
States  originated  in  the  claim  for  protection  in  tlie  Nortii  and  resiKtarce  to  it  in  the'  ■ 
Soutli ;  and  althougli  its  advocates  have  enlisted  in  their  cause  every  faction,  ami  • 
allied  themselves  to  abolition  fanaticism,  and  trampled  the  con.-titution  under  foot  to 
meet  the  douiands  of  their  allies,  their  aim  has  constantly  been,  at  any  .-ind  ever}- 
liazard,  to  establish  their  policy,  for  a!I  time,  on  tlie  legi.-hition  of  the  country.  In 
this  they  have  failed  as  far  as  the  iSouth  is  conf-eined,  but  they  have  .seized  the  tir't 
moment  of  their  power  t(.  fix  it  on  the  North.  The  Confe.leVnte  States  have  been 
equally  prompt  in  adopting  the  principles  so  long  advocated  by  them,  and  have  pro- 
vided in  tlieir  constitution  that  protection  shall  not  be  given  or  extended  to  anv  ]iar- 
ticiilar  class  of  industry.  This  impoitaut  provisicin  will  secure  uniforinity  and  stabil- 
ity itiall  legislation  regulating  their  conunurcia!  intercourse  with  foreign  "nations. 

The  movement  of  Northern  and  European  merchandise  south  from  New  York  am' 
otlicr  Nortiiern  cities  l^a^•ing  been  cut  oflf,  tlie  Confederate  States n.ust  hereafter  kK)k 
to  Kuropi- for  supplies  ;  and  if  fhegiiiwing  crops  of  cotton,  tobacco  and  other  pro- 
ducts are  to  be  exchanged  for  European  goods,  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that 
an  unchecked  and  unrestrained  intarcouise  should  be  immediately  established  be- 
tweer  Southern  ports  and  those  of  Knr/ipe.  The  summer,  antunm  and  winter  sup- 
plies are  wanted  before  the  crops  come  in,  and  if  they  can  be  sent  foiward  in  time  to 
meet  tho  wants  of  the  country,  the  export  of  specie  to  pay  for  them  next  winter  mav 
be  avoided.  It  will  readily  be  perceived  that  tlic  consumption  of  the  countrv  must 
go  on  gradually,  and  that  time  is  required  to  distribute  supplies  to  a  whole  people  in- 
habiting a  com. try  (if  such  vast  extent. 

The  ftttemjit  is  iKiugmade  by  Mr.  Lincoln's  administration  to  show  that  the  Con- 
federate States  are  not  strong  enough  to  resist  the  power  of  the  Nortli cm  States. 
The  commercial  resources  of  the  former  have  been  stated  in  this  communication. 
The  census  of  1 8(>0  shows  that  the  (Confederate  States.' including  Kentucky  and 
leaving  out  Missouri,  Maryland  and  Delaware,  contain  J,2.')4,(I00  nien  able  to  bear 
arms,  under  forty -five  and  over  eighteen  years  of  age.  This  fi.rce  is  siifficisnt  to  as- 
sure European  powers  that  the  Confederate  States  are  strong  euough  to  maintain 
their  independence  against  any  number  of  troops  the  North  may  bring  into  the  field 
against  them. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  say  that  a  subject  of  such  magnitude 
could  be  bett»-r  treated  in  a  volume  of  hundreds  of  pages;  but  in  addressing  a  Min- 
ister of  your  knowledge  and  intelligence,  I  deemed  it  more  in  accordance  with  your 
position  and  mv  own  auties  to  limit  this  communication  to  as  simple  a  stateuu  it  of 
facts  as  possible. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect, 

Your  Lordship's  obedient  servant, 

T.  BUTLER  KING, 
Commissioner  from  Georgia. 

London,  May,  1862. 


u 

:ncy  com 

KING. 

Paris,  7th  May,  1S62. 


COPY  OP  LETl'EE  TO  1118  EXCELLENCY   COMTE  Dk  MOKJfY,  FKOM 
T.  BUTLER  KING. 


To  Hia  E-Kdlenry  the  Minister  of  Commerce  : 

SiK :— Pennit  me  to  l«y  betare  your  Excellency  some  oon.^iderations  iu  t'avor  of  the 
immediate  eritnhlislimeut  of  lines  of  gteainsiiips  from  llie  ports  of  Fnmce  to  those  of 
the  Confederate  .States  of  America. 

In  a  commutiioation  which  I  have  had  the  honor  to  addreps  to  tlie  Minister  of  Com - 
nierci^  ft  copy  of  wliieii  I  bej^  leave  to  hand  herewith  to  your  Excellency,  I  have 
Mtateil  the  causes  w!ii(!h  have  led  to  the  concentration  of  the  commerce  of  the  late 
United  States,  in  the  city  and  i>ort  of  New  York.  The  i^ecession  of  the  Southern 
States  has  deprived  tliatcity  of  the  control  of  Southern  commerce  and  trade,  and 
tlii-ow  them  open  to  Etiiopean  enterprise. 

Tlie  va.Ht  amount  of  Southern  exports  and  import.'!,  the  great  numT)er  of  Southern 
travelers  who  have  hitheitu  spent  the  warm  nmnths  in  iiie  North  fur  health,  pleasure 
or  business,  but  wlio  will  now  be  attracted  to  I'^irope :  and  the  correspondence  which 
must  necessarily  tjrow  out  o(  sucl^vextensive  coniinercial  and  per.sonal  interconrse, 
■will  supply  a  suflicient  amount  id'  traliic  to  insure  i)rofitable  emnloymeiit  of  several 
lines  of  steamers  I'rom  EuropeMH  ports,  and  especially  those  of  France  to  the  Con- 
federate Sfates.  In  addition  to  those  iiiducenients,  a  low  taritf,  on  the  priiu;iple  of 
tree  trade,  has  been  adopted,  all  tonnage  duties  have  been  repealed,  and  the  coastinjj 
trade  thrown  open  to  f,>reiy;n  vessels. 

These  ad  vaTirajjes  contrast  very  stronn^ly  in  favor  of  Soutliern  ports,  when  com- 
pared'with  the  \n%\\  protective  tariti"  of  the  N<irthern  States,  intended  to  exclude  tlie 
importation  of  foreign  mercliandise,  the  tonnafje  duties  which  impose  a  fceavy  tax  on 
foreign  shipping;  in  >'orthern  ports,  and  the  laws  excluding  foreign  vessels  from  the 
coasting  trade.  '    .  , 

'  The  Cunard  lines  of  .steamships  from  Liverpool  to  New  York  and  Boston,  and  the 
dines  from  New  York  to  Havre  and  other  European  ports  supplied  as  much  tonnage 
of  that des.ription  as  could  he  profitably  employeil  in  the  conunerce  of  New  York 
when  in  the  lull  tide  of  its  prosperitv.  J5at  since  the  Southern  States  have  seceded, 
and  cut  otf  ail  intercourse  with  the  Niu'thern  States,  ami  tliereby  cepriving  that  city 
of  the  vast  amount  of  Southern  cotnnierce  which  she  has  hitherto  controlled,  it  is 
quite  certain  tl:at  all  those  steamers  cannot  be  profitably  employed,  and  tliat  any 
new  line  from  a  F.-cnch  port  to  Nev.'  York  would  not  be  prolitable,  and  probably  re- 
sult i:i  f.iilure,  \viiiit,'  it  is  very  clear  tliat  oommei'cial  intercourse  with  the  Confeder- 
ati^  States  pri/--M-iit-t  an  unoccupie.i  fi"ld  of  almost  unlimited  ext.ent  for  the  employ- 
ment of  bitli  s:  ■■•1-11  aerl  saihnt;  vessels. 

Tlie  exports  of  tlie  Ciiift^lerutu  States  will  amount  to  ne.rr  three  hundred  millions 
of  dollars  p;-;r  a'lir.im,  and  their  iinpi>;'is  must  appi'oach  a  similar  sum.  There  can  be 
no  douljt,  tli-ri-;',ivc.  of  an  anijile  supply  oi  tVeigld  for  all  vi'ssds  e;nplo)-:_'d  in  the  di- 
rect trale  1)el'V(-eu  the  ports  (if  France  ;,nd  tlhise  of  tli.i  Cunt'.;  !eM-;ii'y. 

The  ac:-el!'r;Ltcd  iimvejiients  in  comii-.erce  caused  by  tiie  cruislnulion  of  railways 
an.l  tlie  o;n}ilti7;»"iit  of  ocean  sieamei-s  iiuist  -ive  to  France  a  deci'led  conti'ol  over 
tlie  impurt  ami  •.'.vpDi-t  trade  of  tlu-  e.iuiitri;'s  «i:;'.ated  to  the  east  and  north  of  lier,  and 
also  over  ail  mad  imtter  conncL-tfil  \viUi  ir. 

During  t!ie  winter  months,  ',\lieii  <ii;n!ni-:c:-  is  mostactive,  and  the  supplies  of  cot- 
ton and  tobieco  are  aiTivincr  f.-nm  th:-  .Soutiic;-:!  .States,  tiie  ports  of  the  Baltic  are 
closed  by  ice,  while  those  of  Frant-e  ai'.-  '^'en.  Tlie  lir.e  of  coast  stea^iers  frOni  the 
ports  ot  Holland  and  J>ely:iiim  to  those  ol  France  will  becoiiie  valu'tble  feeders  to 
lier  lines  of  ocean  .steamers. 

Previous  to  '.,he-construc;ion  of  t'desrapii  lines,  all  letti.'rs  passing  between  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe  arid  Ameiiea  '.\'eie  carri'^'d  in  liie  jjiverpoo!  and  iSew  York  steam-' 
crs,  and  contributed  largely  ti.i  their  snpp.e:,. 

But  now  tile  telegram  announces  tiie  ii:  ii.eiii.'i  1  items  of  news  long  befo_rethe  steam- 
ers arrivi'  at  their  port  of  (iestini'.tion,  ami  renders  ti;e  rr.pi.l  tr.'iusmission  of  letters 
much  less  iaiportant.  The  establ!slim"iK  of  diieet  steam  comnmnication  from  the 
ports  of  h'cai'ce  to  those  of  the  Coufeileratt-  Slates  will  therefore'  afford  ameansof 
transit  sutiicientlyrapiihtor  the  transmissii'ii  of  the  mails. 

There  will  also"  be  a  cemsiderable  saving  of  postiitce  iu  tlie  direct  line  as  compared 
to  the  circuitous  route  by  way  of  New  York  and  Liverpool. 

There  is  a  very  strong  feeling  of  sympathy  tlirougliout  the  Southern  Sftitts  for 
France.  Tlie  State  of  L  uisiaua,  as  you  are  well  aware,  was  for  many  years  a, 
■French  colony,  !).nd  more  than  half  the  people  are  descendants  of  French  iininij^ra'nl.--. 
In  many  parts  of  the  State,  the  French  language  only  is  spoken.  In  South  Cai<dija 
the  French  element  is  strong.  The  Southern  climate  is  better  suited  to  the  com-ump- 
tiou  of  French  wines  and  fabrics  than  that  of  the  Northeru  States.  In  fact,  most  ot 
the  French  -svines  that  are  imported  into  New  York  are  sent  Soutli. 

Steamsliips  have  become  a  necessity  in  the  commercial  transactions  between  great 
exporting  and  importing  countries,  tand  especially  in   the  cotton  trade,  all  bills  of  la- 
ding, poiicies  of  insurance,  bills  of  exchange  and  sampler  of  cotton  are  sent  by  them. 
The  ea;rly  entablishmeut  of  the  Liverpool  and  New  York  lines  of  steamers  has 
largely  contributed  to  the  increase  of  British  commerce  with  America. 

.Jjiverpool  ou  one  side  of  the  Atlantic  and  New  York  on  the  other,  became  the 

great  points  of  attraction.     British  merchants  will  not  be  slow  to  perceive  that  the 

^eceesion  movement  in  the  South  lias  deprived  New  York  of  its  control  over  South,- 

ern  export.s  and  imports,  and  they  will  soon  turn  their  attention  South. 

Cannot  France  be  peruiadsd  to  take  the  lead  and  reap  the  advantage  ,?    To.ac- 


15 

couipKsh  thai  object,  I  bfjr  lenre,  most  re.^pecf fully,  to  propose  that  the  law  anthoriB- 
inga  line  from  Havre  to  New  York  Khali  be  fo  changed  or  amentltd  a.i  to  require  the 
steamers  to  proeeed  from  Havre  direct  t  >  Savaiiriaii,  Geoii^ia,  and  that  the  line  au- 
thorized from  Bordeaux  t*)the  West  Indies  shall  be  extended  to  New  Orleans. 

Savannali  i^  situated  near  the  thirtj-second  degree  of  north  latitude,  and  is  now, 
except  New  Orleans,  the  largest  exporting  city  in  the  Soutliem  States.  The  railway 
system  extending  westwardly  from  the  (-ify,  lia.s  been  completed  to  Moiitfomery, 
Alabuna,  and  U  nearly  tiiiiciiied  to  Vickslmr;,'  on  the  Mississippi  river,  a  distance  of 
more  than  seven  liundred  miles.  Xorthwe.'-twardly  the  railways  extend  to  Memphis 
in  Tennessee,  on  the  Mississippi,  a  distance  of  near  nine  hundred  miles;  and  South- 
westwardly,  .1  railway  is  already  finished  to  the  Niutheni  border  of  the  State,  more 
than  two  hundred  miles,  where  it  will  unite  with  the  system  of  railways  in  Florida, 
and  will  soon  be  comphrted  to  Mobile  in  Alabama.  •  From  the  main  trunk  leading 
West  thror.gh  the  very  heart  of  the  cotton  region,  there  are  various  branch  railways 
extending  Northwest  and  Southwest. 

These  lines  .".re  ail  I'itlier  completed  or  in  rc.pi.l  course  of  constnietion,  and  will, 
with  their  connections,  give  to  .-avannah  an  extent  of  railway  communication  equal 
to  that  of  any  city  ou  the  continent,  .-lud  bring  to  her  port  at  lea.-t  two  millions  bales 
of  cotton,  large  qaanlities  of  11, mr,  tobacco,  timber,  naval  stores,  and  a  great  quantity 
and  variety  of  other  exportable  prodn<"ts,  nud  distributi?  to  the  inft'iior  the  imported 
merchandise  received  in  e.xchonge.  The  distance  fro'ri  Havre  to  Savjinnah  is  about 
three  hundri'd  miles  further  than  it  is  tVom  Havre  1 1  New  York,  or  one  (lay's  run  of  a 
.steamer.  15ut  astiif  sdilingdistancc;  from  Savannah  to  Ntw  Yoik  is  seven  hundred 
miles,  there  will  be  a  savin;;  of  four  hundr-d  miles  in  the  direct  voyage  as  compared 
with  the  circuitous  route  by  way  of  Ni-w  Yo:k. 

Savannah  is  situate!  on  the  light  or  southern  bank  of  the  river, fourteen  railed 
from  the  ocean.  A  vessel  drawing  twenty  three  feet  can  enter  the  chauneland  ap- 
liroach  within  a  fev/  mihiS  of  the  city. 

SiJveuteeu  feet  can  be  carried  to  wharves,  where  large  ships  arc  usually  lonfled  to 
that  depth,  and  the  cargoes  c jjleteij  l)y  lj|^'lit.;rs  in  the  deep  waters  below. 

Theexteiision  ui  the  We.«t  India  lineto  Niw  Orleans  will  afford  the  people  of  that 
city  and  all  the  Southwestern  .States  of  the  ConlVderacy  the  inesiis  of  direct  personal 
aid  commercial  eoiumunication  and  intercuuise  with  Fraiici-.  The  liritishaiid  West 
India  mail  contract  was  originally  maie  to  extend  to  Xk;w  Orleans,  but  the  contract 
authorized  by  Congress  for  a  line  from  New  Yoik  to  New  Oilcans  cut  rff  the  Uritish 
line  aiiil  limitel  its  niovcments  to  the  West  InditsHiid  the  ports  of  Mexico.  The 
lines  of  steamers  trom  New  Orleans  to  all  tlie  Gulf  p<nfs  ol  Mexico  and  Texas  al- 
ready estaidlshod,  will  serve  as  feeders  to  the  IJordeaux  and  New  1  >rleans  line. 
Vessel.s drawing  sixteen  to  .sevente^-n  feet  can  crosy  the  bar  at  the  inouth  of  the  Mis-' 
sissippi  and  proceed  to  New  Orleaii.-;. 

On  the  opening  of  such  an  immense  export  and  import  trarle  as  must  iinmediafi-ly 
commence  between  Europe  ami  the  Confederate  States,  no  reasonable  doubt  need  be 
entertainsd  respecting  the  prolitnble  employment  of  steamships,  but  it  may  be  use- 
fulto  state  some  of  the  items  of  trn'iio  whiidi  tiioy  ujuvt  control.  All  tl;e  correspon- 
dence conneC, 'i!  wiiii  near  three-fourths  of  the  export  and  import  trade  of  ihe  late 
United  States  mus;  hereafter  he  carried  in  steamers  between  Europe  and  Southern 
porta.  That  correspondence  has  hitherto  conlribr.ted  largely  to  the  support  of  all  the 
lines  employed  btt  ween  Kurop°,New  York  and  iSoston. 

In  my  communication  to  the  Minister  of  Connn'-rce,  I  liave  stated  tlie  estimated 
number  of  Southern  travelers,  who  have  hitherto  vivitod  the  Northern  States  to  be 
one  hundred  tiio-.isr.nd  annually.  Now  if  we  su>posc  tl'..'it  one-fifth  part  (.f  thatnuin- 
ber,  or  tv.'enty  thousand,  will  come  to  Europe  ami  relr.rn  at  a  cost  for  pa>sa"e  of  one 
hundred  an<l  Inirty  dollars  each  way,  we  have  the  sum  of  :*5,20i),000  for''passage 
traflic  alone.  When  to  this  is  added  t!ie  postage  for  mail  matter,  and  lull  freights 
both  ways,  tliere  would  .seem  to  be  no  possible  iloabt  that  those  who  establish  the 
first  lines  of  steamers,  and  thus  jret  poss.js>ion  of  the  trade  by  proper  arraiu'i;mcnts 
with  railway  .•om))aiii!:s  fur  a  constant  supply  of  freight,  wiiich  can  ea.sily  Ce  made 
must  reap  a  rich  reward.  '' 

Uespecting  a  supply  of  the  best  coal,  I  will  iuenti.m  that  the  company  in  Balti- 
more wl|ich  stippliis  the  Cunard  steamers  at  New  York,  has  offered  to  deliver  the 
same  kind  of  coal  in  Savannah  at  ih.e  same  price,  namely,  H  oO  perton. 


COPY  OF  LETTER  TO  THE  MINISTER  OF  FOREIGN  AFFAIRS    FROAI 
T.  BUTLER  KING.  ' 

Takis,  11th  July,  1861. 
To  His  E.>ceU(>u\y  the  Miii.i*f.er  of  Fore.i^ti  Aifuirs  -. 

Monsieur :— Trie  undersigned  has  been  commissioned  by  His  E.xcellenoy  the 
Governor  of  Georgia  to  lay  before  His  Majesty  the  Emperor  a  statement  explaining 
the  commercial  relations  hitherto  existing  between  the  Southern  and  Northern  States 
of  the  late  American  Union.  That  he  has  done  in  a  letter  which  he  has  had  the 
honor  to  present  to  His  Excellency  the  ?dinister  of  Commerce,  but  he  feels  constrain- 
ed to  believe  that  he  will  fall  short  of  the  performance  of  his  whole  duty,  if  he  fails  ' 
to  call  the  attention  of  your  Excellency,  who  is  charged  with  the  important  duty  of 
.superintending  the  foreign  relations  of  His  Imperial  Miijesty,  to  some  facts  and  con- 
siaerations  connected  with  the  present  condition  of  affairs  in  America. 

Ak your  Excellency  is  undoubtedly  well  acquainted  with  the  framework  of  the 
Groyemmeut  of  the  late  United  States,  it  is  not  necessurj-  to  recite  facts  and  ar<yu- 


IG 

Hients  to  prove  that  t lie  Federal  Government  was  formed  and  adopted  by  the  States, 
ea^h  acting  tor  iU-elf  in  it»  soveveijin  CHpticify.  and  that  tlie  rij^ht  to  tccede  from  tlie 
goverumeiit  thus  formed  has  ever  been  lield  by  tiie  Status  us  a  remedy  against  op  - 
presision.  Therefore,  the  .Suntliern  States  in  withchawiiifr  from  tlie  Union,  have  sim- 
ply exercised  liiat  reserved  right ;  and  the  war  wliieh  the  {rovernmeiit  at  Washing- 
ton is  now  waging  afrainst  them  is  intended  to  he  a  war  of  conquest  and  •(utijui:;ation 
under  the  absurd  pretext  of  preserving  the  Union.  The  Government  of  the  United 
States  was  founded  on  the  great  fundamental  j)rin<'ii)le  tliat  it  should  reet,  and  could 
onlv  exist  on  the  ronsent  of  the  ;;overnod,  or  of  the  States  which  created  it.  There- 
fore  the  seoeded  States  are  not  justly  eliavf.'-eahle  with  rebellion. 

Mr.  President  Lincoln  commenced  the  war  by  deolurinji  his  purpose  to  be  only  tlie 
<olleotion  of  custom  duties  on  imported  merchandise,  and  the  reocenpafion  of  the 
captured  forts.  Instead  of  contiiiin;;  his  military  movemoits  to  the  accoinplishmeiit 
<tf  those  objects,  beha.s  blockaded  the  v.hole  Southern  coast, tlierebv  excluding  all 
commeup.without  attempting  to  rccnpturL-  the  forts,  and  invaded  Virginia  with  an 
army  of  an  hundred  thousand  men.  ]\lode!n  wars  have  been  made  for  maintenance 
of  Home  violate<l  principle  or  cleaily  defined  right.  In  the  progress  of  liis  measures, 
Mr.  Lincoln  has  violated  every  principle  of  the  Constitution  under  which  his  Gov- 
ernment exists,  (ind  must  be  regtirdedas  engaged  in  a  devastating  war  of  conquest  in 
detiance  of  all  rigiit  and  justice,  and  in  violation  of  his  own  declaratidns  and  pledges. 
]Ie  has  therefore  forfeited  all  c'aiin  to  the  forbearance  or  sympathy  of  tiie  great  Eu- 
ropean powers  whose  policy  has  been  the  protection  of  right,  the  proirtotion  of  civi- 
lizfjtion,  and  the  exten.sion  of  commercial  intercouise. 

If  Mr.  Lincoln  has  no  right  or  justoau.-e  to  prosecute  this  war.  have  not  France 
and  England,  whose  interests  will  be  very  much  di.>turbed  and  injured  by  it,  a  right 
to  require  that  it  shall  not  disturb  their  relations  wilh  the  Confederate  States? 

Can  the  governments  of  France  and  England  permit  this  war  to  continue  until  it 
shall  have  destroyed  the  annual  product  id"  thiee  hundred  millions  of  dollars  in  value 
of  comn^ercial  exchai.ge  '     Does  not  the  industrial  pursuits  of  their  oun  people  prt.ss 

'■■'■    ■         -■'^  -  ■-  ^:   -1     Isnotthe 

itioii 


It  would  seem  to  be  clearly  the  i>oliey  of  France  »nd  England  to  look  with  no  dis- 
favor on  the  separation  uf  the  Southern  from  tiie  Xorthern  States  of  America. _   If. 


that  is  so,  it  would  seem  >'o  be  e'f.'.ally  clear  tijat  th-  separation  should  be  aceomnlish 
ed  with  as  little  delay  and  damage  totlie  interests  of  the  former  as  pos.sible.  and  that 
thev  should  come  out  of  the  contest  witli  their  capacity  for  producli<'n  unimpaired. 
Hut  the  Government  at  Washington  has  liad  the  audacity  to  say  to  France  and  Eng- 
land ''  hands  cff."  this  is  our  quarrel,  and  do  you  not  dare  to  interfere,  even  with  the 
expression  ot  an  opinion  i  A  man  in  the  midst  of  a  city  might  as  well  claim  the 
ri"ht  to  set  fire  to  his  house  and  s;iy  to  his  neighbors,  it  is  no  affair  of  yours:  have  I 
not  a  ri"-htt(.  deiil  as  1  please  with  iny  owu  ?  This  assertion  of  right  would  not  se- 
cure th6  lives  of  persons  in  adjoining  apartiiients  :  nor  will  this  at>siud  cluim  of  right 
oil  the  part  of  Mr.  Lincoln  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  maniifadturing  and  commercial 
iudu'-t'-y  of  Fiance  and  Englutid.  The.se  «  bservatmnsare  not  ]iroiiiptfcd  by  the  slight- 
est ftpprehei.sioris  that  the  Confederate  States  will  not  be  able  to  resi^t  successlully 
the  ii.cui-sions  of  ^he  Northern  hordes,  buttht-y  aremai'.e  for  the  purpose  of  present- 
ing the  conduct  of  the  Government  at  Wuslington  in  its  truelight,  and  of  showii.g 
that  it  t^iis  war  p  ogresst-sfor  a  long  time,  it  must  be  very  injurious  to  the  interests 
«.•<■  thecoiTmercial  world.  The  cotton  -rop  will  soon  be  coming  to  the  places  of  ex- 
DOrtatiot  ui'd  it  is  as  i:eCessMry  to  tl.cwdhii  g.f  the  sj.indlesaj  d  kons  ot  Fiance  and 
Fno-taidas  bread  is  ti>  fft-d  those  who  operate  them.  Has  Mr.  Lincoln  aright  to  for- 
Wd^the  supply  of  either?  and  it  he  does,  would  it  not  be  just  cause  for  thestringei.t 


measures  of  nrotectiou  on  the  part  of  those  whose  iiiteress  will  be  so  largely  compro- 
mised ■'  As  I  have  shown  in  a  letter  which  I  had  the  honor  to  ad.lress  to  His  Excel- 
I'-ncv  tie  Minister  of  Commerce,  this  contest  in  America  originated  in  the  tariff  poli- 
os of  tl'.e  Northern  States,  and  that  this  war  has  been  inaugurated  ano  is  bemg  pros- 
ecuted for  the  purpose  of  compelling  the  Southern  States  to  submit  to  the  dicta  esot 
that  mdicv  It  is,  therefore,  a  question  which  addresses  itself  immediately  to  the 
natenal  interests  of  France  and  England,  and  must  ere  long  be  felt  in  all   heir  indus- 


warouthelndiVsTrV  of  'France  and  England ,  under  false  pretenses. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  L-^cellency'smo.s^ob    .serv  t 

T.  BUTLEK  KING- 


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